Glee
by BrokenHearts159
Summary: It starts at the beginning of season 2. There's someone else to the group. Kurt has a new boyfriend named Gary. kurt and new girl gets picked on but finn protects kurt so new girl goes to Dalton and meets wonderful, handsome, charming Blaine Anderson. I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING!
1. Chapter 1

First day back. Junior year. I had a smile on my face, a brand new camaro, new clothes and a new year to sing in glee.

"These are comments from Jacob Ben Israel's most recent glee club blog." Will Schuster said. "Glee is a giant ball of suck."

"We get it, Mr. Shoe." Noah "Puck" Puckeman said. "Everyone still hates us. So what? We're plankton on the high school food chain. Only difference now is that none of us care."

"Kurt's right." Artie Abrams said.

"We're a family." Rachel Berry said.

"They can bring it on all they want." Quinn Fabre said.

"Nobody is gonna break us." Finn Hudson said.

"I'm happy that you guys have bonded." Will said. "The problem is that all this negative stuff is keeping _other _students from auditioning."

"Good. Why do we need new members?" Kurt Hummel asked.

"Well, since Matt transferred, we only have eleven members. If we want to go to Nationals—if we want to beat Vocal Adrenaline— we have to go from a small rebel force to a giant wall of sound."

"Yeah, Mr. Schuster's right, you guys." Tine Cohen said. "You didn't see Vocal Adrenaline at Regionals. They were epic. We're gonna need more voices if we want to beat them."

"Yeah, I'm with Tina on this one." Mercedes Jones said.

"Gross." I heard Mike Chang mutter behind me.

"You're gonna have to trust me on this, guys." Will said. "Now, here's the plan. Nationals are in New York this year. And we are going!" Everybody whooped in excitement. "Now let's go out there and show the school how cool it's gonna be. How cool we can be. It's they're not gonna come to us, let's go to them. They say we only sing show tones and '80s pop. Let's show them how down we are. Let's give them the song of the year, New Direction style." Santana Lopez and Brittany Pierce both whooped.

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We all took our places, wearing our New York shirts and black shades as Finn set a stereo on a lunch table outside and pushed play. I sat next to Rachel and Quinn on the table and vocalized as Puck began to sing.

"Yeah, Yeah, I'm out that Brooklyn. Now I'm down in Tribeca. Right next to De Niro but I'll be hood forever. I'm the new Sinatra and since I made it here. I can make it anywhere yeah they love me everywhere." Puck sang.

"I used to cop in Harlem all of my dominicanos. Right there up on Broadway pull me back to that McDonald;s. Took it to my stash box 560 street. Catch me in the kitchen like Simmons whipping pastries." Artie belted out.

"Eight million stories out there and they're naked. City is a pity half of y'all won't make it. Me I gotta plug special ed I got it made. If jesus payin LeBron I'm payin Dwyane Wade." Finn caroled. I stood on the table, heart and soul full of confidence and began bobbing my hips back in fourth, still vocalizing. " Three dice Cee Lo three card Molly. Labor Day Parade rest in peace Bob Marley. Jigga I be spiked out I could trip a referee. Tell by my attitude that I'm most definitely from."

"In New York." We all chanted.

"Hey," Rachel chirped.

"Concrete jungle where dreams are made of. There's nothing you can't do. Now you're in New York."

"You're in New York." Quinn choired.

"Welcome to the bright lights, baby." Kurt crooned. We all gathered up on the landing on the concrete steps and danced in synchronize.

"These streets will make you feel brand new big lights will inspire you. Let's hear it for New York." We descanted. "New York, New York."

"Yeah." Tina harmonized. The boys sat down on the steps and bobbed their heads while us girls stood and sway to the beat.

"One hand in the air for the big city. Streetlights big dreams all lookin pretty. No place in the world that could compare Put your lighters in the air." Mercedes hummed.

"Everybody say yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah." We hymned. The boys stood up and joined us, sliding our feet across the ground, stomping the ground, kicking the air, bobbing our heads and waving our hands. "Concrete jungles where dreams are made of. There's nothing you can't do. Now you're in New York."

"New York." Santana trilled.

"New York, New York. These streets will make you feel brand new. Big lights will inspire you. Let's hear it for New York. New York, New York. New." We dropped down to the ground and let the song go by vocalizing quietly. We crossed our arms across our chests and waited for applause but it didn't come. No one paid any attention to us. Of course, should have known.

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"So is that a men's sweater?" Mercedes asked Kurt when he was done playing a song on the piano.

"Fashion has no gender." Kurt said. Rachel came storming into the room and slammed the lid down over the keys, almost crushing my fingers.

"Ladies, we have a problem." She said. "There's a new student at this school named Sunshine who is a Filipino and is shorter than me. Which I didn't think was possible and is very unnerving."

"Ok," Gary Greyson, Kurt's boyfriend, said.

"I'm gonna go now." I said.

"Wait!" Rachel said. "And she has a remarkable voice." Rachel sighed. "I'm just—I'm very worried. You know, not for myself, but for my lesser Glee clubbers who don't get as many solos." Gary, Mercedes, Kurt and I all exchanged looks. "So, I paid a hundred dollars to Azimio and Karofsky to brutally slushee us in front of Sunshine's locker terrifying her and ensuring she doesn't sign up." We all looked at her with disbelief on our faces. "Uh, ok, this is the part where you're supposed to be hugging me and thanking me."

"That's awful." Mercedes said. "You're awful."

"But solos, I mean—"

"Look, Rachel," Gary said. "We're about as self involved as they come. But more than anything we want to beat Vocal Adrenaline. And if there's someone at the school that can help us do that, they're in."

"You know what? You're right. It's just so like me to just be totally blinded by my concern for the four of you. Well, I'll—I'll go talk to Sunshine now and just let her know how truly welcome she really is." Rachel left the room.

"One day, me and Santana are going to go all Lima Heights on her ass." I said.

"We'll be there to see it." Kurt vowed.

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"I can't believe Rachel cost us Sunshine." I told Kurt and Gary as we made our way to the buses. "We could have used her to beat Vocal Adrenaline. She could have been our secret weapon."

"Can't go too hard on her." Gary said.

"Can't go too hard on her? Gary, all she cares about is herself. I promise you, Kurt, I'm about to go all Lima Heights on her ass."

"And like I said, Abigail, I'll be there to watch." Kurt smiled at me.


	2. Chapter 2

_Christopher Cross. _Who the hell is Christopher Cross?

"Alright," Will said. "Who can tell me who Christopher Cross is?"

"He discovered America." Britney said.

"That was Christopher Columbus, Britney." I said.

"He did write an iconic chart topper—_Sailing._" Will said.

"I have a bad feeling about this lesson." Kurt whispered to Gary.

"Never heard of him, don't want to hear about him." Tina said.

"Now some people think of the term _easy listening _as a bad thing." Will continued. "But I'm going to let this music speak for itself. You guys love Lady Gaga and Rolling Stones and you guys are really good about putting it out there." He handed out sheet music to us. "But really good music can also be controlled, and restrained. It doesn't have to attack an audience; it can let them come to you."

"How could you get caught between the moon and New York City?" I asked.

"Yeah, they're like a hundred miles apart." Finn said.

"Mr. Shoe? If I may." Gary called out. "I think I speak for all of us when I say its not that we don't love the idea of spending a week on this silky smooth Adult Contemporary, its just that, as teens, this isn't the easiest music for us to relate to."

"However," Kurt added. "There is a burgeoning Facebook campaign that has swelled to over five members. The ardent demand: that this week, at the fall homecoming assembly, the McKinley High School Glee Club performs a number by—"

"Wait for it,"

"—Ms. Britney Spears."

"Spears, Spears, yeah," Artie agreed.

"Sorry, Kurt." Will said. "Kurt, sorry. No, no, no, I don't think she's a very good role model."

"But Mr. Shoe, we kind of grew up with her." I said, curling my hair around my finger.

"She's literally why I want to be a performer." Tina said.

"I don't want to do Britney." Britney muttered.

"Why no Britney, Britney?" Gary asked.

"Because my name is also Britney Spears."

"What?!" Will questioned her.

"What the hell is she talking about?" Mercedes asked.

"My middle name is Susan and my last name is Pierce. That makes me Britney S. Pierce. Britney Spierce. I lived my entire life in Britney Spear's shadow. I will never be as talented or as famous. I hope you'll all respect that I want Glee Club to remain a place where I, Britney S. Pierce, can escape the torment of Britney Spears." There was an awkward moment of silence when we all exchanged confused looks.

"Well, there you have it guys." Will said. "It's been decided, no Britney. Sorry."

"Thanks, Brit. Thanks a lot." Gary said.

"Leave Britney alone." Santana said.

"Thank you for understanding." Britney said to her. "Its been a hard road."

"Um, can we move on?" Rachel asked.

"Yes." Will said. "Let's talk about Michael Balton."

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"All right, so here's the deal." This dentist said. He was good looking, but wasn't my type. I prefer my men slender, lean. "You chew this little capsule. Now if there's any plaque you missed, the dye will stick to it and turn your teeth blue."

"Can I just say that you are the hottest dentist I've ever seen?" Santana said.

"I get that all the time."

"No, like, seriously, you can totally drill me—"

"Santana!" Emma said. Of course, I forgot, Emma was married to this guy. "Ok, let's stay focused.

"Rock 'n' roll, Emms." Whatever that dude's name was said. "And besides, this guy—" He pointed to Will." "—now this guy's pretty easy on the eyes too, huh? And you know what? No matter how hard I tried, I bet I couldn't sing and dance like him."

"Uh, probably not." Will said.

"All right, let's take a look at those chompers, huh?"

"Before we chew, I would just like to alert Mr. Shoe that there's been a new addition to the Britney Spears Facebook campaign." Kurt said.

"Sorry, the answer is still no." Will said. "Capsules, guys." I popped the capsule in my mouth and cringed at the taste. It tasted like my father's meatloaf, which tasted like spoiled food. I think he even makes it with spoiled food. Yuck. I smiled, showing my teeth.

"Wow, Abigail, I think I can see my reflection in those things." Gary said which made me smile bigger. Finn gasped and Kurt and I turned around to see Rachel's teeth. They were the color of a baby's newborn eyes. So blue.

"Oh, my god!" Kurt and Gary said in unison.

"What?" Rachel questioned us as she quickly pulled out her mirror and gasped at her reflection. "Aw!"

"It's ok, baby." Finn tried to reassure her.

"I don't understand. I floss between classes."

"Well, sometimes its genetics." Whatever the guy's name was said.

"I think I might be better at brushing and flossing if I could see myself in the mirror."Artie said. I leaned forward to see Artie's teeth just as blue as Rachel's.

"There you go, blue tooth." Santana smiled.

"I don't brush my teeth." Britney said, whose teeth were also blue. I think her teeth might be bluer than Rachel's and Artie's combined. That's just sad. "I rinse my mouth out with soda after I eat. I was pretty sure Dr. Pepper was a dentist."

"I got this, Em." Whatever the guy's name was said. "With some deep bleaching or scaling, you'll be good as new." He walked over to Britney and sat down next to her. "All right, open up." Britney smiled at him. "Nah, close." His face cringed with mental pain. Poor, poor, Britney.

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"I would just like to say that from now on, I demand to have every solo in glee club." Britney said. Rachel looked at her like her vocal cords just got torn out and stomped on. She turned to me.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Rachel asked.

"Oh, I don't care much for solos." I lied, checking my nails for defects.

"What?" Will questioned Britney.

"When I had my teeth cleaned, I had the most amazing Britney Spears fantasy. I sang and danced better than her." Britney explained. "Now I realize what a powerful woman I truly am."

"I went with her." Santana said. "And I had a Britney fantasy, too. Although not that I'm thinking about it, I'm not really sure how our fantasies combined. That doesn't make any sense."

"See, Mr. Shoe?" Kurt said. "I told you. Britney Spears bust our Brit out of her everyday, fragmented haze of confusion and gave her the confidence to step up and perform."

"I'm more talented than all you." Britney said. "I see that clearly now. It's Britney, bitch."

"Ok, lookie here, that's way too far." I said. "Every solo, I don't care about, but saying you're better than me, I will not stand for that. I will go all Lima Heights on your ass before I go Lima Heights on Rachel's ass." Rachel looked at me with a confused look.

"Guys, we are not doing Britney Spears and that's that." Will said.

"Mr. Shoe, you are letting your own personal issues get in the way of something that we are all telling you we really want to do." Gary said.

"I mean, this club regularly pays tribute to pop culture, and Britney Spears _is _pop culture!" Kurt added. "To such otherwise is heretical!"

"Amen." I muttered.

"Kurt, I am done talking about this!" Will said.

"Geez! Let loose a little, would you?!" Kurt requested. "Stop being so freaking uptight all the time!"

"Amen," I repeated as we all looked at him in astonishment.

"Kurt," Will began calmly. "I'll see you in the principle's office."

"Uh-oh." Kurt got up and walked out of the room.

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"Wow, Rachel." I mumbled, stunned by what I was looking at. Rachel had a mini navy blue skirt, knee high white socks with navy blue shoes. She had a white shirt that ended just above her belly button and a navy blue sweater, her black hair in two braids. She down next to Finn.

"Well, Rachel, congratulations." Santana said. "Normally, you dress like the fantasy of a perverted Japanese businessman with a very dark specific fetish, but I actually dig this look. Yay." She clapped her hands softly.

"Thank you." Rachel said.

"I thought she always dressed like a baby and an old lady at the same time." I said.

"I think what Santana is trying to say, Rachel," Kurt began. "Though I risk expulsion by saying so," Will turned from the piano and glared at him. "Is that it seems Britney Spears has really helped you blossom." Will glared harder at him. "That's all."

"Wait, Rachel, is that true?" Will asked. "I mean, you are sort of dressing differently."

"Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy," Artie chanted.

"Hey, hey." Finn growled at him and Artie looked away ashamed.

"Look, all I know is that I had a very vivid Britney Spears fantasy at the dentist, and since then, its made me feel free to get out of my own way." Rachel said. "I think I've just always been afraid to dress like a pretty girl because I never really felt like one. Now I realize its okay to feel that way about yourself every now and again. And maybe it's a good thing."

"It's such a good thing." Britney said. "I can't believe it."

"William," We all looked past Will to see Sue Slyvester. A crazy bitch. Coach of the Cheerios. Absolutely evil. "A word."

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"I was pretty sure Artie's legs don't work." Quinn said when Artie and Finn told us that Artie was joining the football team.

"Did you get a leg transplant?" Britney asked.

"Nope." Artie answered. "My teammates can push my chair like a battering ram."

"Yeah, there are no rules against it. We checked." Finn said.

"And I have Britney Spears to thank."

"Your welcome." Britney said. We looked at her like she was crazy which is kind of true.

"Britney plus nitrous gave me an amazing idea, and it gave me the nerve to tell Coach Beiste that Finn and I both really want to be on the team."

"Wait, you're back on the football team?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah." Finn answered.

"Suddenly, you're way hotter to me." I said, twirling my hair around my finger. "Weird."

"Wait, I don't get it." Puck said. "How come everyone's having Britney Spears fantasies?"

"The nitrous oxide dentists use is a mild hallucinogen. Studies have proven that it includes vivid dreams, often the last thing the patient thinks about." Artie explained as Will walked into the room. "The subconscious moves to the forefront. Since we've all been thinking about Britney, it only stands to reason."

"Ok, guys, listen up." Will called to the class.

"Mr. Shoe, if I may?" Kurt raised his hand.

"Kurt, I overheard what you guys were just talking about and I know what you're going to say. The answer is no." We all groaned. "No, I'm not going to stand in the way anymore. If you guys want to do Britney at this year's homecoming assembly, I'm fine with it." We cheered and started to chatter excitedly. "I know. Oh and more than that, I am going to perform with you." It was dead silence and we looked at him in astonishment, not knowing what to say. "Right?"

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The lights dimmed and the curtains opened. Toxic began playing through the speakers as Britney skipped out onto stage with the girls behind her.

"Baby, can't you see." Britney belted out, bending over peering at the crowd through her legs before standing up. "I'm calling. A guy like you." The boys came out and she weaved in and out of them. "Should wear a warning. You're dangerous. I'm loving it."

"Too high," Will caroled as I pressed myself up against Puck's back. "Can't come down. Losing my head spinning round and round. Oh, do you feel me now?" The beat picked up and we all joined in.

"With a taste of your lips." We chanted. "I'm on a ride. You're toxic, I'm slipping under. With a taste of a poison paradise. I'm addicted to you. Don't you know that you're toxic? And I love what you do. Don't you know that you're toxic?" I slid across the stage, my back to the crowd, my ponytail swinging back and forth, my ribbon tickling my neck. I turned around and removed my hat and placed it back before rocking side to side on the balls on my feet. The crowd started to go wild when we took off my hat and ran it down between our legs and placed them back on our heads.

"It's getting late." Will, Britney and Rachel chirped. "To give you up. I took a sip. From my devil's cup. Slowly it's taking over me." I pressed my back against Britney's and bent over as Will peered up behind us. He pushed past us and made his way to the front of the stage.

"Too high." Will choired. "Can't come down. It's in the air. And it's all around. Oh can you feel me now? Oh." We formed a line behind Will and one by one, we departed, left and right. We formed another across the stage, me in the back. Will tossed the hat to me and I caught it, tossing it back to him when he came to the middle of the stage.

"With a taste of your lips." We crooned. "I'm on a ride."

"On a ride." Santana descanted.

"You're toxic, I'm slipping under." We harmonized. "With a taste of a poison paradise. I'm addicted to you. Don't you know that you're toxic? I'm addicted to you, don't you know that you're toxic? Intoxicate me now. I think I'm ready now. Intoxicate me now. With your loving now. I think I'm ready now." I twisted my hat left and right on my head before tossing it up and snatching it out of midair to place it on my head. I rippled my arms in front of me as if I was calling a dog to me. We lined up in the back of the stage and froze in our last position as Will spun his last move. As the music stopped, the fire alarm sounded and the crowd went from cheers to screams and everyone rushed out of the gym, knocking each other. We stood on the stage, watching with confusion.

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"Rachel?" Will called on her.

"I have a song that I've prepared for the class."

"Sorry, Rachel, no more Britney. I'm really happy that her music has inspired so many of you, even if that inspiration brought about by a dangerous narcotic. And I think we've all come to appreciate her music and celebrity so much more this week. But honestly, she's just not us."

"I am devastated." Gary said.

"I can't believe we only did one Britney number." Kurt said.

"I was actually gonna do something from our original assignment last week—adult contemporary." Rachel said. "But this is just a little bit more young adult."

"Oh." Will said. "Great, Rachel. Well, let's hear it." Will sat down as Rachel stood up.

"I'd like to dedicate this song to my boyfriend, Finn. I was wrong. I shouldn't try to control you. I just, I've never been this happy before. And I realize that I was trying to hold onto how much you were making me feel so much, that I was strangling you in my hands, like a little bird. I get now, that in order for this relationship to work, I have to open my hands and let you fly free."

"Finn can fly?" Britney asked.

"Really?" Kurt and Gary questioned her.

"No, Brit, it's just a figurative of speech." I said with a irritated sigh.

"Wait, I thought I was the only one getting the solos from now on." Britney said.

"Ok, listen here, you crazy little blonde,"

"Listen here, you pathetic, little, skinny ass, single loser, stuck up bitch," Santana said. "You make another insult I will go all Lima Heights on your ass."

"Listen here, you stupid Mexican slut, cunt, what ever the hell you are, I was raised in Lima Heights too if you haven't forgot, so go on and try it."

"Hey, hey, guys, guys." Will said. "Let's bring the temperature down a little, ok?"

"Sure, Mr. Shoe." Santana said with a smirk.

"Whatever." I muttered, sitting back into my chair.

"Next week, I'm going to be performing a number by Kesha." Britney said. The band started to play _You are the only expectation _by _Paramore. _

"_When I was younger. I saw my daddy cry." Rachel belted out. "And curse at the wind. He broke his own heart as I watched. As he tried to reassemble it. And my mama swore. She would never let herself forget. And that was the day that I promised. I'd never sing of love if it does not exist. But darling, you are. The only expectation. You are the only expectation. You are the only expectation. You are the only expectation. Oh. Oh. I've got a tight grip on reality. But I can't. Let go of what's in front of me here. I know you're leaving in the morning. When you wake up leave me with. Some kind of proof it's not a dream. Oh, oh, oh. You are the only expectation. You are the only expectation. You are. The only expectation. You are the only expectation."_

"_You are the only expectation." Santana and Mercedes caroled. "You are the only expectation."_

"_And I'm on my way to believing. Oh. And I'm on my way to believing." _


	3. Chapter 3

"All right, let's, uh, let's gather round." Will ordered as he walked into the choir room five minutes late. He sat down on a stool and faced us. "Sorry I'm late, guys. I was with Principle Figgins. Bad news, guys. Puckerman's in Juvvie."

"It was really just a matter of time." Tina said.

"What? I wanted to be the first one to go to Juvvie in this group." I whined and everyone turned to look at me. "I mean, after we win Nationals of course."

"What did he do?" Quinn asked.

"He drove his mom's Volvo through the front of a convenience store and drove off with the ATM." Will stated. Laughter rang through the room.

"A-A-and when is he getting out?" Rachel asked.

"Unknown."

"He might be the dumbest person on this planet and that's coming from me." Britney said.

"Touche." I agreed.

"Guys! Let's have some sympathy." Will said.

"For a guy who put his needs before the team?" Finn questioned Will. "We need his voice and his bad boy stage presence."

"We can't look at this as, as a crisis. It's an opportunity."

"Opportunity my ass." Gary muttered.

"Watch you mouth, Gary."

"For what?" Kurt asked.

"Further embarrassment and humiliation?" Quinn asked.

"For welcoming our newest member, Sam Evans." Will said and a boy jogged into the room. He was tall and muscular. His bleach blonde hair growing past his ears. The corners of his gigantic mouth up into a smile. "There he is."

"How's it going?" Sam greeted us. "Hey, everybody. I'm Sam. Sam I am. And I don't like green eggs and ham."

"Oh, wow. He has no game." Santana said.

"Okay!" Finn said, jumping up. "This is going to be great. You're not going to regret joining, Sam."

"Oh, good." Sam said.

"You can sit right there." Sam sat on the right of Finn.

"All right!" Will gathered the class back up. "Question for the group. What's a duet?"

"A blanket." Britney said. Gary, Kurt and I looked at.

"Really?" Kurt and Gary questioned her.

"How the hell did you get a blanket out of duet?" I asked.

"A duet is when two voices join to become one." Will said. "Great duets are like a great marriage. The singer complement each other, push each other to be better. Now, some people—"

"Psst!" Kurt whispered to Mercedes and me. "He's on team gay." He cocked his head to Sam. "No straight boy dyes his hair to look like Linda Evangelista circa 1993."

"You're crazy." Mercedes whispered back. "Circa 2010." I turned back to Will.

"And that is what duets are all about." Will finished. "So, this week I want you to pair up and sing a duet. And since you guys all seemed to love our little Defying Gravity diva off, I'm making this into a competition."

"What's the winner get?" Mike asked.

"Dinner for two, on me at Breadstix."

"Whooo!" The class whooped. Breadstix was the best, most delicious, heavenly restraunt in all of Ohio.

"Who are you gonna sing with, Kurt?" Mercedes asked. Kurt looked to Gary, looking for an answer.

"You want to sing with new kid, don't you?" Gary asked.

"Yes, I do." Kurt answered.

"Mercedes, will you do the incredible honor of singing a duet with me?"

"Are you sure you're fine with Kurt singing with Sam?" Mercedes asked. Kurt and Gary faced each other.

"I'll always know that Kurt belongs with me and only me." They leaned into each other and pressed their lips together. Will I ever find a tight, trusting relationship like that?

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The week went by. Duets were sang. Quinn with Sam, singing Lucky by Colbie Calliett. Finn and Rachel, singing some really, really, _really, _offensive song. Tina and Mike. Kurt decided to back away from Sam and do a duet with Gary so Mercedes did one with Santana. They were good. Britney and Artie were going to do a duet but they backed out. I backed out too, finding no one and no courage to sing a duet.

"Okay, since Artie, Britney and Abigail have dropped out of the race, I guess it's time to take a vote." Will said. "Well, even though it looks like just about everybody voted for themselves, even those who didn't compete, we do have a winner. And the winner is, by two votes, Sam and Quinn." Sam jumped up in excitement.

"What? What?" Santana yelled, standing up. "Screw that! I want my stix!" Mercedes grabbed Santana and pulled her back as she made a move towards Sam.

"Ooh, let it go. Let go. Let it go!" Mercedes ordered.

"Unbelievable." Rachel said. "It was mine! No, I don't know how this happened. Unbelievable."

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I walked down the sidewalk, the night air gently brushing against my cheeks, tickling my frown.

"Abigail!" Two voices sounded behind me. I turned to see Kurt and Gary jogging to me. I started to walk again when Kurt was on my left and Gary was on my right.

"You seem very down these days." Kurt said. I just shrugged my shoulders and kept quiet.

"What's wrong, Abs?" Gary questioned me. I shrugged my shoulders again.

"Abs, talk to us." I sighed and sat down on a park bench, Kurt still on my left and Gary on my right.

"Abra." I whispered.

"What?"

"Abra. The school bully. Well, beside the football players who bully you two."

"What about him?" Gary asked me.

"He's been bullying me. Harassing me."

"Harassing you how?" Kurt asked. I sighed as a tear slipped from my eye.

"Just staring at me. Touching—" My voice trailed off as I heaved back a sob.

"Touching you how?"

"Look, I appreciate your concern but I can take care of myself."

"Abs, you can't let this go on." Gary said.

"What else am I suppose to do, Gar? I can't tell the principle. He'll just say come back when it gets serious. I have no witnesses. Abra will just deny it."

"Abs,"

"I have a plan if it does get serious."

"And what's that?"

"Transferring."

"To where?"

"I was researching last night. There's a school called Dalton Academy. It's a uniform school. Like a hundred girls and like four hundred boys. It's a big school. The classes seem harder though but there's a no bully policy and it's enforced."

"Isn't that the War, the uh, Warbiers, oh what is it, Gary?" Kurt asked.

"Warbly?" Gary suggested.

"Warblers." I corrected them. "Yes, I looked them up. They sound really, really good. It's expensive. My father can afford it if I do decide to transfer."

"Does your father know about Abra?"

"No, I don't him to get worked up. And I don't want him to find out. If things get bad, I'll transfer. I promise. Ok?" Kurt and Gary nodded.


	4. Chapter 4

I walked down the hallway, clutching my laptop bag strap closely to my body. Abra came out of no where and tightly squeezed my right hip before shoving me into the lockers. He walked away.

"What is your problem?!" I yelled.

"You talking back to me?" Abra asked, coming back to me. "You want some of the Fury?"

"The Fury?"

"Yeah, that's what I named my you know what."

"Well, with the level of creativity, you could easily become assistant manager at a rendering plant."

"I don't know what that is, but if I find out that it's bad, The Fury's gonna find you." He pushed me into the lockers again.

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

Excited shout and whoops filled my ears as I walked slowly down the spiral steps as boys and a few girls swarmed past me. The boys were dress in black khakis, white buttoned up shirt, red with black stripes tie and a black jacket with red border. The girls wore black boots, black leggings, black skirt, white blouse with a black jacket with red border.

"Excuse me." I called to a boy who stepped down from the last step. He turned and looked at me. His black hair was flattened by hair gel, his carmel brown eyes popping out of his fair skin, matching perfection to his long face. "Um, hi. Can I ask you a question? I'm new here."

"My name's Blaine." He held out his hand and I took it in my own.

"Abigail. So, what exactly is going on?"

"The Warblers. Every now and then they throw an impromptu performance in the senior commons. It tends to shut the school down for a while."

"So, wait, the glee club here is kind of cool?"

"The Warblers are like rock stars. Come on, I know a shortcut." I followed through empty hallways and corridors. We came upon double French doors and Blaine opened them to expose excited chatter and whooping boys were moving furniture around and the girls line the couches.

"Ooh, I stick out like a sore thumb."

"Well, next time don't forget your uniform, new girl. You'll fit right in." A line of boys formed a group in the middle of the group and began singing rhythm as Blaine tossed his bag to the side. "Now if you'll excuse me." He turned to go to the group.

"Before you met me. I was all right. But things were kind of heavy. You brought me to life. Now every February. You'll be my valentine. Valentine." Blaine belted out. The boys began to rock from left to right in synch.

"Let's go all the way tonight." All the boys caroled. "No regrets. Just love." They stopped rocking and held still. "We can dance." Then started back up again. Until we die, you and I." They held still then started back up again. "Will be young forever. You make me. Feel like I'm living. The teenage dream. The way you turn me on. I can't sleep. Let's run away. And don't ever look back. Don't every look back."

"Let's go. All the way. Tonight. No regrets. Just love. We can dance. Until we die. You and I. Will be young forever." I had never heard such a beautiful voice.

"You make me. Feel like I'm living the teenage dream, the way you turn me on." I looked around to see a smile on every one's face as they bobbed their heads to the music. "I can't sleep, let's run away. And don't ever look back. Don't ever look back."

"I'm gonna get your heart racing in my skin tight jeans. Be your teenage dream tonight. Ooh, ah… Ooh, ooh." They scattered walking around for moment before getting back in synch. "Ooh… Ah… Ah, ah."

"Yeah!"

"You make me. Feel like I'm living the teenage dream. The way you turn me on. I can't sleep. Let's run away and don't. Ever look back. Don't ever look back. My heart. Stops when you look at me. Just one touch, now baby. I believe. This is real. So take a chance and don't ever look back. Don't ever look back."

"I'm gonna get your heart racing in my skin tight jeans. Be your teenage dream tonight."

"Let you put your hands on me in my skin tight jeans Be your teenage dream tonight." The song ended and cheers and shouts echoed the room while I smiled and applauded.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

"Latte?" Blaine pushed a cup towards me across the table.

"No thank you." I said. "I'm more of a hot chocolate person."

"Here." He pushed his cup across the table and took back the latte.

"Thank you."

"This is Wes," He pointed to the black kid to the left of him. "And David." He pointed to the other kid on his right.

"It's very civilized for you to invite me to coffee before you beat me up for spying." I smiled.

"We are not going to beat you up." David said.

"You were such a terrible spy, we though it was sort of… endearing." Wes said.

"Which made me think that spying on us wasn't really the reason you came." I gave a light chuckle and lowered my head, taking in the sweet aroma of the hot chocolate. "Would you guys excuse us?"

"Yeah." David said. "Take it easy, Abigail." Wes and David stood up and walked away, leaving Blaine and me by ourselves.

"I'll take it you're having trouble at school."

"I'm pretty much the only girl without a boyfriend and this guy keeps harassing me. And I-I… tried to stay strong about it, let everything just roll off my back, but it's like his mission to make my life a living hell and make me his girlfriend. And nobody seems to notice." I breathed back a sob.

"I know just how you feel. I got taunted at my old school, and it really… pissed me off. I even complained about to the faculty, and they were sympathetic and all but you could just tell that… nobody really cared. It was like hey, if you don't have a girlfriend, your life's is just gonna be miserable. Sorry. Nothing we can do about. So I left, and came here. Simple as that. So you have two options. I mean, I'd love to tell you to just come enroll here, but tuition at Dalton's sort of steep, and I know that's not an option for everyone. Or… you can refuse to be the victim. Prejudice is just ignorance, Abigail, and you have a chance right now to teach him."

"How?"

"Confront him. Call him out. I ran… Abigail. I didn't stand up. I let bullies chase me away, and it is something that I really… really regret."

"I promised my two closest friends that if things got worse then I would transfer here since I know there's a no bully policy that's enforced. Confronting him might make things worse but things get worse before they get better, right?"

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE 

My locker slammed shut and I was face to face with Abra. _Courage. _One word text from Blaine earlier that day. _Courage. _

"Get out of my way." I growled.

"You telling me what to do?"

"Yeah, actually, I am. You got a problem with that jackass?"

"Yeah, actually, I do. You see usually the bitch in the relationship gets bossed around."

"I am not your girlfriend!" I stepped up and shoved Abra. "Get the hell over it. You want someone to screw, I bet there's some ugly ass hookers over on Harley Corner." He grabbed me by the chin and slammed me up against the lockers.

"Listen here, you got a week to decide. Be my girlfriend or I will kill you." He walked away, leaving me trembling on shaking legs.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE 

After drying my eyes, I walked into the choir room.

"Abby," Will called to me. "Good, I want to talk to you about this amazing idea I had for a solo for you at sectionals."

"Can I make an announcement first?"

"Yeah." I turned to my fellow glee members.

"It's nice to know I have great friends here." I began. "Which is why it's so hard for me to leave."

"What do you mean leave?" Quinn questioned me.

"I'm transferring to Dalton Academy… immediately. My dad said that tuition wasn't a problem."

"Abs, you can't leave." Tina said.

"We can protect you." Sam said.

"Seriously, we can like, form a perimeter around you like the Secret Service." Puck said.

"Yeah." Finn agreed.

"The only thing that can really protect me is what they have at Dalton: a zero tolerance, no bullying policy. It's enforced."

"Um, does this mean that you're gonna be competing against us at Sectionals?" Rachel said.

"There hasn't been a girl in the Warblers since 1993 but I told my connection at Dalton how much I loved to sing and he said he could probably change their minds." I explained.

"Abigail…" Mercedes stood up and walked over to me.

"I'm sorry. I have to go." I turned and left the school.


	5. Chapter 5

I glanced at myself in the full length mirror, not recognizing the girl that was staring right back at me. I reached out a hand to touch the mirror. The girl mimicked my move. I dropped my hand. The girl dropped her hand. I sighed. This was the new me. New. The word sounded strange. What is the definition of that strange word? New. Was I really new or was I still the same girl I was back at McKinley? I stared harder at the girl in the mirror. Was I really new? I bent down to pick up my lucky ribbon. It was white with black polka dots. I tied it around my high ponytail and began to recognize the girl in the mirror as I dropped my hands. I know that girl, but from where? I sighed and picked up my bag before heading out into the corridors. Boys and girls chattered, everyone looking the same. Everyone seemed to smile at me as I passed them and I couldn't help but to smile back.

"And now let's welcome to the Warblers, Abigail Ear." David announced and the boys applauded as I walked into the dorm. "In our oldest tradition, for our newest warbler, an actual warbler."

"Abigail, meet Pavarotti." Blaine said as he handed me a cage. I looked inside to see a small yellow bird who chirped at me.

"This bird is a member of an unbroken line of canaries… who have been at Dalton since 1891. It's your job to take care of him so we can carry on the Warbler legacy. As the first girl in the Warblers since 1993, we have another challenge for you. You will also be getting a cat. Protect the bird. This bird is your voice." Blaine handed me a cat carrier and I peered inside. Inside lied a muscular, light silver gray tabby she cat with clear blue eyes and a plumy tail. "Let the council come to order. Today we will be discussing the set list for sectionals."

"Council?" I questioned David.

"We don't have a director." Blaine explained. "Every year, we elect three upper classmen to lead the group. But don't worry we all get a say."

"Now, I propose we do our entire set at sectionals in eight part harmony." David announced.

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGGG

I gripped the railing with my left hand as I descended the spiral staircase.

"Abigail, wait up!" Blaine called behind me. I stopped and he joined me on my right side and I began walking again. "I saw that Glee Club was hard for you today, seeing you uncomfortable in there."

"It's just a different energy in there." I said. "Not better or worse, just something I'll have to get used to."

"We recognize that, and we have a tradition at this school. So, we would like to invite you to audition for a solo."

"For sectionals?"

"For sectionals. Sing something good." He walked away and fear gripped my chest. Me? Solo? Oh, no, no, no, no, no. I love to sing but with a group. I never did a solo before. I'm going to make a complete fool out of myself. Unless I can find a teacher. And I know the perfect person.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLL

"Hey, Rachel." I greeted her as I walked onto the McKinley stage where Rachel was playing the grand piano. "I've been looking for you."

"Don't bother spying on me to get a leg up… because the only solos that I'm going to get at sectionals are in my mind." Rachel muttered.

"Actually, I was hoping you could help me. I've been sitting on my motorcycle for an hour waiting for Abra to make a Mickey D's run. I've been invited to audition for a solo. And if you know me, I freak out when I'm singing by myself."

"Why should I help you? You're our competition now."

"Because even though we hate each other, you're the best female singer I know. I could use your expertise. And no one knows how to kill a ballad quite like you. You are as brilliant and talented as you are irritating."

"Considering that this might be my only chance to sing for a little while, I'll give you a couple of tips." I smiled at her. "So, what did you, uh, have in mind?" I placed my radio on the piano.

"I've settled on Celine Dion's classic, My Heart Will Go On."

"Oh, no. No, no, no."

"No?"

"Listen, you need something much more personal than that. I mean, this is about you. Do you ever fantasize about your own funeral?"

"No."

"I do. Finn throwing himself into the grave out of grief… and all of the heartfelt speeches and the regrets."

"That's insane."

"Clearly no one in the Glee Club appreciates me. Is it so wrong of me to fantasize about them… finally realizing how amazing I am but it being too late? And there's only one song that expresses those feelings. I'm sure it's in here somewhere." Rachel got up and began to flip through songs on my CD player.

"Oh."

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

"It won't be easy." I belted out. "You'll think it strange. When I try to explain how I feel. That I still need your love. After all that I've done. You won't believe me. All you will see. Is the girl you once knew. All though she's dressed up to the nines. At the sixes and the sevens with you. I had to let it happen. I had to change." I caroled as I made my way to the window and stared out at the beautiful front lawn of Dalton. "Couldn't stay all my life down at heel. Looking out of the window. Staying out of the sun. So I chose freedom." I turned to the Warblers, my eyes briefly locking onto Blaine's before scanning the rest of the room. "Running around. Trying everything new." I walked towards the middle of the room with my hands behind my back. "But nothing impressed me at all. I never expected it to. Don't cry for me, Argentina. The truth is I never left you. All through my wild days. My mad existence. I kept my promise. Don't keep your distance." I took a deep breath and quickly relaxed my vocal cords as I unwounded my hands from my back. "Don't cry for me, Argentina." Out of the corner, I saw Blaine push his hand down and shake his head slightly, indicating to drop my rising hand. I did and winded them back up behind my back. "The truth is I never left you. All through my wild days. My mad existence. I kept my promise. Don't keep your distance. Have I said too much? There's nothing more I can think of to say to you." I made my way back to the side of the room. I felt secure over here. I felt like not so many eyes were pressuring me. But all I could feel is one pair of eyes burning into the side of my face. Blaine. "But all you have to do." I turned back around. "Is look at me to know. That every word is true." I broke off the long note and the Warblers broke out into applause.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

I sat outside of the Warbler room with two other boys who were anxiously twiddling their thumbs.

"So have many times have you guys auditioned for?" I asked.

"Three." The black hair kid answered.

"Six." The blonde dude said. I let out a whistle as the door to the room opened and Blaine stepped out.

"Hey." Blaine greeted us. "Nick, Jeff, congrats. You're moving on." My vocal cords disinigrated in my throat as I tried to hide the depression on my face. Jeff and Nick jumped up and shook hands with Blaine before heading into the room. Blaine turned to me.

"Any sage advice?" I asked. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked over to me.

"Don't try so hard next time."

"I didn't realize caring was frowned upon."

"I don't know how it worked at your old school, but did notice that we all wear uniforms here? It's about being part of the team."

"I guess I'm just used to having to scream to get noticed."

"You're not going to make it as a Warbler if all you care about is getting noticed." I bit my lower lip and thought about it for a moment.

"You're right. I'm sorry."

"I know it's going to take some getting used to, but you'll fit in soon enough, I promise." I looked up into his adorable puppy dog brown eyes.

"I'll hold you to that."

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGGG

"Then go down to seven eleven and get some. I need Rasinets." Gary yelled at the server as I approached him. It was sectional day and I could tell Gary was all worked up and Gary never gets worked up.

"Carb loading?" I asked, leaning up against the counter beside him. Gary sighed.

"Puck got Lauren Zizes to take your place, and she won't go on unless she gets her damn candy. She's a warm body. Rachel told about the solo, did you get it?"

"Sadly, no."

"Oh, wow, if you didn't get a solo, then they must be really good. We're doomed. Sorry, that was selfish. What I meant to say was, wow that—that really sucks. I'm sure you were really good."

"I was. I mean, I think I was. Being in the Warblers has really made me question everything I thought about myself."

"Yeah. What has become of us, Abs? So, do you miss us?"

"I do. Being a Warbler is great, but… I don't know. I can't help but to think that I let you guys down."

"It's your life, Abs, and you weren't safe at McKinley anymore, and we all get that." I leaned in and wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a big hug. A bell overhead rang and I felt pressure on my left shoulder and I looked over to see Blaine.

"Hey, Abigail, they're calling places." He said. "Hey."

"Thanks again, Gary." I turned and followed Blaine to the auditorium.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLL

I felt jittery as we stood behind the red curtains. I was in the left side of the group with Blaine in the middle, us facing him.

"And now, for our second performance of the program, from Dalton Academy in Westerville, the Warblers." The man on the PA announced. The curtains rose as the music began playing. We all began to vocalize together.

"Hey." Blaine chanted. "Hey. Hey."

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Hey." We turned and faced the crowd. We drummed our right foot against the stage still vocalizing as Blaine began singing.

"Your lipstick stains. On the front lobe of my left side brains. I knew I wouldn't forget you. And so I went and let you blow my mind." Blaine danced from right to the left, making an explosion with his hands around his head when he stared into my eyes. I couldn't help but to smile as I continued to vocalize.

"Let you blow my mind." We started swinging our hips from right to left.

"Your sweet moonbeam."

"Sweet moonbeam."

"The smell of you in every single dream I dream. I knew when we collided. You're the one I have decided. Who's one of my kind."

"One of my kind."

"Hey, soul sister. Ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio stereo." We chirped together, including Blaine. We hopped on our left foot, bounced on it for a beat for doing it again with our right and back again. "The way you move ain't fair, you know. Hey, soul sister. I don't want to miss a single thing you do. Tonight."

"The way you move can cut a rug. Watching you is the only drug I need. So gangsta, I'm so thug." Blaine choired. We walked to the right side of the stage before Blaine broke apart from us to go to the left side of the stage.

"You're the only one I'm dreaming of." We turned and followed him.

"You see I can be myself now finally. In fact, there's I can't be."

"Nothing I can't be."

"I want the world to see you with me. Hey, soul sister. Ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio stereo."

"The way you move ain't fair you know. Hey, soul sister. I don't want to miss a single thing you do. Miss a thing."

"Tonight."

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Tonight."

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Tonight." The song ended and the crowd applauded for us.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

After New Directions preformed Time of My Life, with Sam and Quinn, and Valerie with Santana, every group gathered up on stage for judgment time.

"And now this years head judge, Associate Director of the Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles, Mrs. Ice Wing." The man said over the PA.

"Thank you." Ice said. "And thank you to all the groups who preformed here today. We all had a serious good time. You know what else is a serious good time? Taking two minutes to save a life by filling out an organ donor card, because it's never too late to donate. Drumroll, please. In third place, The Hipsters." The hipsters cheered to the left of us and left the stage with their trophy. "And now, the winner of this year's West Central Sectionals… is—It's a tie. Congratulations! You're all going to regionals." The crowd cheered as Blaine went over to shake hands with Will.

"Congratulations." Blaine said.

"Hey, nice work. See you at Regionals." Will said.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

I stared anxiously into Pavarotti's cage with Leopardstar in my lap, purring contently when the door opened and Blaine's voice sounded.

"Got your text. What's wrong?" Blaine asked as he made his way to the couch to sit down next to me.

"It's Pavarotti. I think he's sick." I choked out. "I'm taking good care of him, but h-he won't sing, and he's loosing his feathers." Blaine peered into the cage at Pavarotti before sitting back.

"Oh, he's just molting. He's growing a new coat of feathers, so his body has to shut down a little." I sighed. "But don't worry about it. He's got food, water. He seems to like his cage. Just give it a little while. He'll be singing again in no time. Don't forget. Warbler practice, tonight at five. Regionals, here we come." I chuckled lightly. He got up and left, leaving me to stare at Pavarotti alone.


	6. Chapter 6

I bit back a yawn as I opened up a word document to start writing an essay on atoms. A banging noise sounded and I looked up to see Blaine set a CD player on a stand.

"Hey." He greeted me.

"You scared me." I laughed as I began typing my first sentence.

"Good. Because I'm actually Marley's ghost, and I'm here to tell you to stop studying so hard." He walked over to the desk I was at and sat down across from me.

"Hmm. What's with the boom box?"

"I need you to sing with me." I raised my eyebrows in curiosity. "Well, rehearse with me. I got a gig singing _Baby It's Cold Outside _in the Kings Island Christmas Spectacular."

"Ah, a personal favorite. But as you experienced first hand, I'm not the best singer."

"Abigail, you were wonderful during that song. You'll never get better with your stage fright if you just stop singing solos because you didn't get one. Practice—"

"—makes perfect. I know, I know." I finished with a sigh.

"So you going to help me out here?" I paused for a moment and closed my laptop.

"I'll try to."

"Very good, then." Blaine got up and went over to the CD player to push play. He swirled back around to face me and skipped a few steps to the beat before turning around again and pointing to me to start.

"I really can't stay." I crooned nervously.

"But baby, it's cold outside." Blaine descanted.

"I've got to go away."

"But baby, it's cold outside."

"This evening has been."

"Been hoping that you'd drop in."

"So very nice."

"I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice." Blaine walked over to me and hovered his hands over mine. I could feel the warmth radiate from his palms.

"My mother will start to worry." I got up and crossed my arms behind my back and walked away from Blaine.

"Beautiful, what's you hurry?" Blaine walked after me.

"My father will be pacing the floor." I scurried the floor in front of the French doors.

"Listen to the fireplace roar." Blaine indicated to the fire with his hand.

"So really, I better scurry." I skipped to the other side of the room.

"Beautiful, please don't hurry." Blaine followed me, cupping his hands together and putting on a begging face.

"Maybe just a half a drink more." I backed up into Blaine.

"Put some records on as I pour." Blaine rolled over my front to the other side of me, making my legs tremble as I continued to sing.

"The neighbors might faint." I sat down on one of the couches arms.

"Baby, it's bad out there." Blaine sat down on the opposite side in front of me.

"Say, what's in this drink?"

"No cabs to be had out there."

"I wish I knew how."

"Your eyes are like starlight now." Blaine held up his hands like he was taking a picture of my face. I went behind the couch to lean against the back of it and Blaine followed.

"To break this spell."

"I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell." Blaine batted at my ponytail.

"I ought to say no, no, no sir."

"Mind if I move in closer?" Blaine scooted down the couch and pressed his warm body up against my left side.

"At least I'm going to say that I tried."

"What's the sense of hurting my pride?"

"I really can't stay." I pushed off the couch and walked over to the piano in the corner.

"Baby, don't hold out."

"Oh, but it's cold outside." We both harmonized. Blaine came over to the piano and played a few bars of the song.

"I've gotta get home." I hummed, going to the fireplace with Blaine behind me.

"But baby, you'd freeze out there." Blaine hymned.

"Say, lend me a coat." I leaned against the fireplace, listening to the fire crackle. Or was the crackling noise the sparks flying between me and Blaine right now?

"It's up to your knees out there."

"You've really be grand."

"I thrill when you touch my hand." I walked behind the other couch while Blaine stood in front of it with a sad puppy dog look on his face.

"But don't you see?"

"How can you do this thing to me?"

"There's bound to be talk tomorrow."

"Think of my life long sorrow." He kneeled down on the couch and placed his face a couple inches from mine.

"At least there will be plenty implied."

"If you got pneumonia and died."

"I really can't stay." I swirled around and walked to the opposite side of the couch from Blaine.

"Get over that hold out." Blaine waved his hand over the couch wanting me to sit down. I cocked my head to it, wanting him to sit down first. We walked forward together and sat down at the same time.

"Oh, baby, it's cold, outside." We trilled. We shared a hard look before looking down into our laps, embarrassed. Blaine gave a light chuckle.

"I think you're ready." I said.

"Well, for the record," Blaine said, standing up. "You are much better than that girl's going to be." And he left.


	7. Chapter 7

"I don't know how she manages it," I whispered to Blaine as we entered Rachel's house. "But she manages to dress up as a baby and an old lady at the same time." Blaine didn't say anything.

"Welcome." Rachel greeted us. "Abigail. Blaine. I wasn't expecting you guys."

"Kurt's been blackmailing me ever since he saw my browser history." Finn explained as he walked down to the basement behind us.

"I'm totally off the clock right now, Rachel." Blaine said. "I'm not a Warbler. I'm just Blaine. I'm not even wearing my uniform."

"So, this is your dad's Oscar room?" Kurt questioned Rachel looking around. There was a bar with liquor cabinets to the left. A stage directly in front of us and a dryer and washer to the right.

"Yes, they transformed our ordinary basement for our famous annual Oscar parties." Rachel said.

"Is that a stage?" Gary asked.

"I like to give impromptu performances for our neighbors sometimes. Hey, girlfriend. Having fun?" Quinn looked at her like she was crazy.

"Yeah." Quinn said quietly. "Awesome party."

"Let's go over the rules. Everybody gets two drink tickets to keep things from getting out of hand. We're serving wine coolers today. That is our specialty drink. That's actually all we have." Blaine and I walked over to the bar.

"Sorry, I made you come." I told Blaine. "Gary and Kurt made me come and I didn't want to be here by myself."

"It's no biggie." Blaine said. "I needed to get out of the house."

"Yeah, well, I bet you're wanting to be at your house right now than here."

"It's no problem, Abigail."

"Britney!" Rachel yelled at her. "Remember the rules. No sitting on anything." Britney hopped off the dryer. "Ok, ok, everybody. Cheers!" She raised a wine cooler pathetically into the air. I turned back to Blaine.

"I'm so, so sorry." I apologized again and he gave a light chuckle.

"Great party, Rachel." Artie lied. "We got to run."

"Yeah, dinner reservations." Tina said.

"But, but, but we haven't even played Celebrity yet. I… Why is everybody leaving?" Rachel asked Finn.

"Because this party blows." I said and Puck held up a thumbs up to agree with me.

"I haven't even had my first sip yet. How am I supposed to write Both sides now if I can't even throw a party?"

"Look, if you want everyone to stay, you have to let me break into your dads' liquor cabinets." Puck said. "No one's going to get buzzed off of two wine coolers. I'll replace it before they get home."

"Let's party!" I walked over to the radio and cranked it up. I stayed back in the shadows as Blaine left me to drink it up and cheering and shouting with the others as they all got drunk. Kurt and Gary pulled me out onto the dance floor and I bobbed my head to the music, busting out some moves every now and again.

"Are you not drinking?" I asked Finn as I approached him.

"No. Designated driver." Finn answered. "What about you?"

"Trying to impress Blaine. Can't get too sloppy." I turned to see a drink in Blaine's hand, busting moves out all over the place, his once flatten hair now in tiny baby curls. I turned back to Finn. "Cleary he doesn't have the same concern." I backed out of the crowd to sit down at the bar and looked around at the part. Exhibit A—Santana, the weepy, hysterical drunk.

"You like her more than me." Santana yelled at Sam. "She's blonde and awesome and smart. Admit it! Just admit it! No. Kiss me." She attacked Sam's lips with hers. I looked around again. Lauren and Quinn—the anger girl drunks.

"I can't believe what you did to my body!" Quinn yelled at Puck. "I used to have abs."

"Oh, back off." Puck said.

"Who told you that hairstyle was cool?" Lauren asked Puck. "Geronimo?"

"Chill out!" I looked around again. Britney, also known as the girl who turns into a stripper drunk. Britney was on the dryer again, giving a booty dance to Artie who was throwing money at her. I looked around again. Mercedes and Tina—happy girl drunks. Tina and Mercedes were on the couch laughing their heads off. Then there was Kurt and Gary—the break up drunks.

"I am done with you!" Kurt yelled at Gary.

"I don't even want to be with you anymore!" Gary yelled back.

"Let's play spin the bottle!" Rachel yelled. "Who wants to play spin the bottle?" We all gathered on the floor and Britney spun the bottle first and it landed on Sam.

"You know what?" Santana said. "A reminder. I owns that guppy mouth. Those trouty Arerosmith lips belong to me." Britney leaned over the circle and began kissing Sam. Santana came over and tried to pull Sam off of Britney. "You know what this is not? Hey, Honeys. It's not a Big Red commercial. No me gusta."

"Whoo!" Rachel whooped.

"My turn!" Gary said and he spun the bottle which shot me in the stomach when it landed on Blaine. Jealously erupted inside me as Gary and Blaine began to kiss.

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

"I didn't drink that much." Blaine protested the next day as we got our order at the coffee shop.

"Are you kidding?" I laughed. "You spent the entire night sucking Gary Black's face." Blaine's phone vibrated from inside his jacket and he pulled it out. "That, sir, is what we call rock bottom."

"Oh, my god. Speak of the devil." Blaine looked at the caller ID and he answered it. "Hi, Gary. Abigail and I were just talking about you."

"Oh, my god. Is he drunk?" We grabbed our drinks and began to walk to a table.

"Shh, shh, shh, shh. Uh, yeah. Uh-huh. All right, I'll see you then. Okay, bye." Blaine hung up and we sat down. "Gary just asked me out." We both laughed.

"Oh, that's amazing. He's got a boy crush on you." I took a sip of my hot chocolate when a troubling question popped into my head. "Wait a second. Why'd you say yes? You can't lead him on."

"Who says I'm leading him on?"

"You can't be serious."

"When we kissed it… it felt good."

"It felt good because you were drunk."

"What's the harm in going out on one crummy little date?" I quickly took Leopardstar out of her cat carrier and began to stroke her back in my lap, trying to keep my anger level down.

"You're _straight, _Blaine!"

"I… _thought _I was, but… I've never even had a girlfriend before. Isn't this the time you're supposed to… figure stuff out?"

"I can't believe I'm hearing this right now."

"Maybe I'm bi. I don't know."

"Bisexual's a term that gay guys in high school use when they want to hold hands with girls and feel like a normal person for a change."

"Whoa, wait, wait. Why are you so angry?" I ran my hand down Leopardstar's back more slowly.

"Because I look up to you. I admire how proud you are of who you are."

"I'm really sorry if this hurts your feelings or your pride or whatever, but however confusing it might be for you, it's actually a lot more confusing to me. You're one hundred percent sure who you are. Fantastic. Well… maybe we all can't be so lucky."

"Yeah, I have… I've had a lot of luck, Blaine. I was really lucky to be chased out of high school by a bully who threatened to kill me."

"And why did he do that?"

"Because he had no one else to bully. I was the only lonely person in that school so he came after me. He didn't like who I was."

"Sort of exactly what you're saying to me right now. Isn't it? I am…" Blaine sighed. "… I am searching, ok? I am honestly just trying to figure out who I am, and for you, of all people, to get down on me for that, I didn't think that's who you were. I'll see you." He stood up and pushed in his chair. "I'd say bye but I wouldn't want to make you angry." He turned and left and I stared after him, hurt and guilt washing over me.

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I sat at the coffee shop across from Gary waiting for Blaine to come in. Kurt was to the left of me.

"I miss you, Kurt." Gary whined.

"I miss you, Gary." Kurt whined back.

"Great!" I said. "Now, you guys can kiss and make out or whatever after Gary does me a little favor."

"What favor?" Kurt questioned me.

"So you said he comes this way around three thirty?" Gary asked me.

"Like clockwork." I answered. "For his post rehearsal medium drip."

"I gotta lay one on Blaine for Abs." Gary explained to Kurt. Something hit me in the gut.

"I got a bad feeling about this, Gar." I said. "I mean, I don't mean to be schooled but I don't want you to get hurt, either."

"Relax, if it doesn't work out then I still got Kurt, right?"

"Nice to know that I'm the rebound." Kurt muttered.

"There's not victory is this for me, either way." I said.

"Who cares about you, girl?" Gary said.

"There he is." My breath hitched as I saw Blaine entered the coffee shop. "Dreamy as ever."

"Ok. Wish me luck." Gary got up and went over to Blaine.

"Hey, Gary." Blaine greeted him. "What's going on?" Gary didn't reply, just went up to Blaine and planted one on his lips. I began to take a sip of my drink but almost choked on it when the kiss went on for over fifteen seconds. Gary took a step back from Blaine and waited for a response. Blaine pondered the kiss for a moment. "Huh. Yep. I'm straight. One hundred percent straight." I had to bite back a smile. "Thank you so much for clearing that up for me, Gary. Listen, save my space in line, will you? I got to go hit the restroom." I got up and went to Gary as Blaine left.

"That was hard, wasn't it?" I asked as Gary whipped around to face me.

"Are you kidding?" Gary demanded. "That was amazing. I am speechless. I just had a relationship with a guy who turned out to be straight. That is songwriting gold. Oh! Ok, I have to go compose. But thank you. Thank you." And Gary left the shop with Kurt at his side. Maybe I do have chance with Blaine Anderson. Maybe I do…


	8. Chapter 8

The Warblers just finished with yet another song with of course Blaine singing lead. How predictable.

"Hey Regionals? You just met our opening number." Blaine said. Everybody cheered and began to leave the corridors. I stood and grabbed my bag and went over to Pavarotti's cage. "How did you manage to find a Burberry-esque canary cage cover?"

"Canaries don't like cold weather." I said, peeling off the cover to look inside at my bird. "Especially Pavarotti."

"So, what did you think of the song?"

"Can I be really honest with you? Because it comes from a place of caring. Been there, done that. Look, you're amazing, Blaine. Your solos are breathtaking. They're also numerous."

"Abigail, the council decides who gets the solos. Do I detect a little jealousy?"

"No, not at all." I whistled at Pavarotti and he whistled back. "You detect _a lot _of jealousy. Look, Blaine, sometimes I don't feel like we're the Warblers. I feel like we're Blaine and the Pips." I turned and strolled away from Blaine.

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGGG

I sat in my dorm room, brushing out my long golden hair. I whistled and Pavarotti sung back. I continued to whistle and stop to let Pavarotti sing but he didn't. I looked into his cage.

"Pavarotti?"

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I opened the doors to the Warbler's room with tears cutting up my face. Everyone was silent.

"Abigail, what's wrong?" Blaine asked.

"It's Pavarotti." I sobbed. "Pavarotti is dead. I suspect a stroke."

"Oh, my god. I'm so sorry."

"I know it's really stupid to be upset over a bird, but… he inspired me with his optimism, and his love of song. He was my friend. Now, I know today we need to practice doo wooping behind Blaine while he does every solo in the medley of Pink songs, but I'd like to sing a song for Pavarotti today." I handed a CD to Aggron and he put it in. "Blackbird singing in the dead of night. Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life. You were only waiting for this moment to arise." The warblers began to vocalize gently. "Blackbird singing in the dead of night. Take these sunken eyes and learn to see. All your life. You were only waiting for this moment to be free. Black bird fly."

"Blackbird, fly, fly." The Warblers crooned.

"Blackbird, fly."

"Blackbird, fly, fly."

"Into the light of the dark black night."

"Blackbird, fly. Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah. Ah. Ah, ah, ah, bom. Da, da, da, da, da, da. Da, da, da, da, da, da."

"Blackbird, fly."

"Blackbird fly, fly."

"Blackbird, fly."

"Blackbird fly, fly."

"Into the light of the dark black night."

"Blackbird, fly."

"You were only waiting for this moment to arise. You were only waiting for this moment to arise."

"Ooh."

"Thank you." I sobbed again, my breath hitching."

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

The next day, I sat on the couch in the Warbler's room as the council talked about Blaine's _amazing _ solos. I rested my head on my right hand, still broken up about Pavarotti.

"Blaine's version of the song is actually better than the original song." Barboach said.

"But it's not in his natural key," Wes protested.

"How dare you?" Beheeyem growled at him.

"Enough." Blaine said. "I'm tired of this."

"I agree." Barboach said. "I think we should just let you pick the song that you want to sing."

"No, I'm tired of the Warblers being all about me." I looked at him in astonishment. "David, please make sure everything I'm about to say goes down in official minutes. We are going to lose at Regionals." The Warblers started to yell and protest and I sat up. "I am incredibly grateful for the belief you've all given me, as a junior member, to lead you all in these wonderful songs this year. But, from what Abigail has told me about New Directions, I just know I can't beat them on my own. Which is why I propose that we rearrange our eleven o'clock number and turn it into a duet." The Warblers began to grumble loudly.

"To showcase other talent in the group." David said.

"Why don't we just play it on kazoos?" Wes said.

"Point of order! Point of order!" Blaine said standing up. "Now, we all lost one of our own this week. Pavarotti's voice was silenced by death, and I don't want to silence anyone else's voices in this group. I think Pavarotti will roll over in his tiny, tiny little grave."

"The placement of which has yet to be determined." I muttered.

"All right, a vote." David said. "Who's in favor of Warbler Blaine's proposal for a dual lead at Regionals?" Everybody raised their hands, including me.

"Oh, can I put my name on the audition list?"

"No." Blaine said. I looked up at him with hurt gray eyes. "No auditions. I want to sing the duet with… Abigail."

"That's r-r-ridiculous." I stuttered. "I mean, there are so many great voices. I mean, everyone deserves a shot at the honor."

"All in favor of Abigail being my duet partner at Regionals?" Everyone raised their hands.

"Decided." David said. "Congratulations, Abigail." Barboach said.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

I sat alone in the room, Leopardstar in my lap, though she wasn't purring. I let my head roll off to the left and closed my eyes, running my hand through Leopardstar's fur. A hand touched my shoulder and I jolted up to see Blaine sit down across from me.

"It'll be ok, Abigail." Blaine said gently as he watched a tear slip from my eye. "You still got Leopardstar."

"Yeah, but I think she misses Pavarotti too." I cried.

"Well, I have the perfect song for our number, and we should practice."

"Do tell."

"_Candles _by Hey Monday."

"I'm impressed. You're usually so top forty."

"Well, I just wanted something a little more emotional."

"Why did you pick me to sing that song with?" Blaine opened his mouth but no words came out like he was trying to find the right words to say.

"Abigail, there is a moment… when you say to yourself _Oh there you are. I've been looking for you forever." _Blaine scooted his chair closer to me and placed his firm hand on top of my right hand that was sitting on Leopardstar's back. "Watching you do _Blackbird _ this week… that was a moment for me. About you. You move me, Abigail. And this duet would just be an excuse to spend more time with you." Blaine leaned forward and firmly pressed his lips against mine, caressing my face with his left hand. I inhaled sharply, as his tongue swirled around my mouth, making my entire face go numb with pleasurment. I grabbed his face with my left hand and kissed his upper lip as he parted and sat back down. I exhaled and dropped my hand back to Leopardstar's head. Blaine chuckled. "Um, we should… we should practice."

"I thought we were." He leaned forward and attacked my lips more viciously this time.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

I stood back stage, wringing my hands together nervously and my hair flowing down my shoulders.

"Has anyone ever literally died on stage?" I asked Blaine as he approached my left side. Blaine looked at me.

"Are you nervous?" He asked me.

"Please don't judge me. This is the first time I've had a solo. I might forget the lyrics, I might open my mouth but no words will come out." Blaine walked to the other side of me. "Ok, you can judge me."

"I think it's adorable. I think you're adorable." He nuzzled his nose against my neck and kissed it gently. "And the only people that are going to be dying tonight are that people in that audience, because you and I are going to kill this thing." I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and pulled my white with black polka dots ribbon out of my pocket. Before I could wrap it around my hair, Blaine took it from me. "Turn around." He wrapped something else around my hair and picked up an abandoned hand held mirror and held it in front of me. I turned my head from left to right to see a black ribbon with a red border hanging from my ponytail. "I noticed you always wear a ribbon. So, I got you one. Warbler colors." I stared at myself in the mirror. I know this girl. I know her. It's becoming clear now.

"Thank you." Blaine set the mirror down and pecked a kiss on my lips.

"Come on, let's go." We took our places on stage behind the curtains.

"And now, from Westerville, Ohio, the Dalton Academy Warblers!" The man announced. The curtains rose and the music started to play.

"Doo, doo, doo, doo." The Warblers vocalized. "Doo, doo, doo, doo." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as I departed the group and walked to the edge of the stage. "Doo, doo, doo, doo. Doo, doo."

"The power lines went out." I warbled. "And I am all alone. But I don't really care at all not answering my phone."

"All the games you played." Blaine belted out as he walked to the opposite side of the stage and slowly made his way towards me, never taking his eyes off my face. "The promises you made. Couldn't finish what you started. Only darkness still remains." I smiled and backed away from when he joined my right side.

"Lost sight. Couldn't see."

"When it was you and me." We both caroled at each other. "Blow the candles out. Looks like a solo tonight. I'm beginning to see the light. Blow the candles out. Looks like a solo tonight. But I think I'll be alright. One day. You will wake up. With nothing but your sorrys."

"Someday." The Warblers chanted behind us.

"And someday." Blaine chirped. "You will get back."

"Everything you gave me…" Blaine and I choired. "Blow the candles out. Looks like a solo tonight. I'm beginning to see the light."

"Blow the candles out." I crooned.

"Candles out." Blaine descanted.

"Looks like a solo tonight."

"Solo tonight."

"But I think I'll be all right." Blaine and I harmonized. The crowed cheered and applauded. I didn't care. I couldn't take my eyes off of Blaine's flawless face as he bowed. Blaine pulled into the spotlight and I did a quick bow. The Warblers split up into two groups and I stood in front of the right side as Blaine stood in front of the left and the music started.

"Right, right, turn off the lights." Blaine hummed. "We're gonna lose our minds tonight."

"What's the dealie, yo?" We all hymned.

"I love when it's all too much." I trilled. "Five A.M, turn the radio up."

"Where's the rock and roll?"

"Party crasher, penny snatcher." Blaine and I vocalized as we joined our groups together. "Call me up if you are gangsta." The Warblers made two lines and I conquered the left and Blaine took right. "Don't be fancy. Just get dancey. Why so serious?"

"So raise your glass if you are wrong in all the right ways. All my underdogs. We will never be, never be. Anything but loud and nitty gritty. Dirty little freaks. Won't you come on and come on and raise your glass. Just come on and come on and raise your glass."

"Raise your glass." The Warblers warbled. The Warblers split off and Blaine and I joined at the front of the stage.

"Oh, shit, my glass is empty." Blaine said, holding an invisible glass upside down. I looked around for an invisible bottle of alcohol. I turned back to Blaine.

"That sucks." I said. We laughed and faced the crowd.

"So if you're too school for cool." Blaine belted out.

"And you're treated like a fool." I caroled.

"Like a fool." The Warblers chanted.

"You could choose to let it go." Blaine chirped.

"Let it go."

"We can always, we can always." I choired.

"Party on our own." Blaine and I crooned.

"So your raise your…" I took the invisible glass from Blaine and held it up.

"So raise your glass if you are wrong." I descanted. "In all the right ways. All my underdogs. We will never be, never be, anything but loud and nitty gritty. Dirty little freaks. Won't you come on and come on and raise your glass for me? Just come on and come on and raise your glass. For me." The crowd went wild and Blaine came over to me and kissed my cheek.

"I told you we would kill it." He whispered in my ear.

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGGG

"And, now to announce our winner, Lieutenant Governor Stevens' wife, Carla Turlington-Stevens!" The announcer said.

"My husband is verbally abusive, and I have been drinking since noon." Carla said. "I'm bored. Let's just see who won, huh?" She opened up the envelope. I slipped my hand into Blaine's hand and squeezed it. "The New Directions!" The New Directions screamed and screamed with joy. "You're going to Nationals in New York." I looked at Blaine and even though his face showed happiness, I could see the sadness in his eyes. I grabbed his face in my hands and kissed his right cheek.

"We still killed it." I told him. Carla stumbled across the stage and Sue chased after her, turning her around and punching her in the jaw. Blaine and I stared in astonishment.

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Blaine covered Pavarotti's body with dirt and set the shovel down.

"Farewell, sweet prince." I muttered.

"I'm so sorry, Abs. I know this is really upsetting for you. It reminds you of your mom's funeral, doesn't it?" I sniffled.

"The casket was bigger but yes. It's not just that, though. Honestly, I'm upset that we lost at Regionals."

"Well, the competition season is over, but we'll still get to perform. We do nursing shows all the time."

"Yeah, I just really… wanted to win."

"You did win. So did I. We got each other out of all this. We won each other's hearts. That beats a lousy trophy, don't you think?" He held out his hand and I took it and we walked away. "Want to go get a cup of hot chocolate?"

"I thought you didn't like hot chocolate."

"I don't, but I know you do." I smiled and kissed his hand.

"Yeah, let's go get a medium drip."

"I thought you didn't like medium drip."

"I don't, but I know you do." We laughed at each other and made our way to the coffee shop.


	9. Chapter 9

I walked out of the choir room of McKinley with Blaine by myself.

"You missed them, didn't you?" Blaine asked, looking at the smile on my face. I looked up and leaned into him.

"Hey, Ear!" A chill seized my spine. "I've been missing that sweet ass of yours. Where'd you run off to, huh?" I slowly turned around to see Abra. I laced my fingers through Blaine's. Abra looked Blaine from head to toe. "Who's this? Your boyfriend? You chose this twig over me, you bitch?" Abra reached a hand out to me but Blaine pushed it away and stepped in front of me.

"Would you just give it up?" Blaine asked. "We all know that you can't get a girl if your life depended on it."

"You don't know squat, asswipe!" Blaine shoved Abra and Abra shoved him back. The fight was about to get violently when Santana stepped up and broke them up.

"Hey, no, stop this!" Santana said.

"Real brave with your fists." I said sarcastically.

"What's going on?"

"None of your business, ." Abra said.

"First of all, anything you do became my business when you decided to toss the slushee up in my grill."

"I think I can take a couple of girls and a twig." Santana chuckled and took a step to Abra.

"Ok, see, here's what's going to go down. Two choices. You stay here and I can crack one of your nuts—right or left, that's your choice—or you walk away and live to be a douchebag another day. Oh, and also, I have razorblades hidden in my hair. Mm-hmm. Tons. Just all up in there." Abra growled and walked away. "Mm-hmm." Santana turned back to us.

"We could have handled that." Blaine said.

"It was more fun doing it together."

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"You haven't asked us anything about our New York trip." Mercedes said as I sipped on my hot chocolate with Blaine beside me.

"Is it because it's too painful?" Tina asked.

"Yes, as a matter of fact." I said. "But while the New Directions are preparing for Nationals, the Warblers are preparing to perform at a nursing home in a strip mall next to a national bank. But I'm so proud of you guys."

"We miss you so much."

"Isn't there any way you could come back to McKinley?" Mercedes asked.

"I told her, I would be all for it if it wasn't for Abra."

"Wait, what did you just say?" Santana asked.

"Abigail needs to be safe."

"Ok, can we please change the subject?" I asked.

"I'm just saying that I want you to be safe. You transferred for a reason, Abs." I sipped on my hot chocolate knowing that he was right.

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"You know, you talk a great game but all I'm hearing is talk and talk isn't going to keep Abigail safe." Dad told Abra. We were in McKinley office. Abra and his dad sat on the couch. My dad sat to the left of me, Will to the right of me and Principal to the left of Abra.

"But the anti-bullying club that David started will." Figgins said. "The fact is, since the club began enforcing the no bullying rule, we haven't had one incident."

"Yeah, and I took water out of the ocean, it wouldn't be wet anymore. The bullying stopped because the top offender stopped.

"Mr. Ear." Abra's dad addressed him. "Can I call you Angelus?"

"Of course."

"You remember how understanding I was about this when it all began. I didn't come to Black's defense. I believed your daughter. That's because the Black I was seeing was not the young man I knew. The boy I raised was a Cub Scout. He was kind, he was a good citizen. I still don't know what was going through his mind when all this bullying started, but I can tell you that the Black I'm seeing now is my son, back again. This… this is real."

"Do you have any idea how much stress this has caused us? My daughter having to leave her friends. Me spending money on private school 'cause of your son."

"Why can't you just allow Black the couple months that it's take him to figure it out?"

"Because he said he's going to kill my daughter!"

"I never actually meant that, though." Abra said. "It's just a figure of speech."

"How's she suppose to know that?"

"Your words still matter, Black." Will said.

"I know." Abra agreed. "You have to believe how awful I feel about them. Those ones, especially. That's not me. Not anymore.

"What do you think, Abigail?" I took a deep breath and sighed.

"I believe he realizes what he did was wrong." I said slowly.

"You're only saying that because you want to be back in this school so bad." Dad said calmly.

"Can Black and I speak for a moment alone? You can wait right outside in the hall."

"Let's go." Will said and everyone reluctantly stood up and walked out.

"What's your angle here?"

"I'm just trying to make things right." Abra said.

"You owe me the truth. What's going on here?" Abra sighed.

"It was Santana's idea. She wants to be prom queen, so she figures if we can get you back, we'll get everyone to vote for us."

"I'm both repulsed and impressed. I got several options. I could tell everyone what a true jackass you are…"

"Dude, I said I'm sorry. You said you wouldn't do that!"

"Hold on. Or I can return here and marvel with pride at your new anti-bullying movement, which I fully believe in, and further demand that you and I start a chapter of PFLAG for Gary and Kurt." Black had a confused look on his face. "Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays."

"Oh, man, just kill me now."

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEE

I looked at my wristwatch. Noon. My stomach fluttered like I was on a rollercoaster.

"What's official?" I heard the familiar voice of Sam.

"My transfer!" I announced at the top of the concrete steps. "Abigail Ear is back at McKinley!" The glee club cheered and I raced down the first set of steps to give them all hugs.

"Hi." Santana laughed as I hugged her.

"Let me breathe! Let me breathe! Let's get ready for Nationals."

"Not yet." Mercedes said. "See, there's a reason we're meeting here today. There are some people that wanted to say goodbye to you, Abigail." I looked back to the top of the steps to see the Warblers come down with Blaine in the front.

"Abigail," Blaine began. "Dalton's going to miss you. You were a great addition to the Warblers, and you made us a better team. I'm sad to see you go, but we all know this is something you really want. And I'll still have you after school and on weekends, but these guys won't so they wanted to say goodbye."

"And thank you, Abigail." David said.

"I walked across an empty land. I knew the pathway like the back of my hand. I felt the earth beneath my feet. Sat by the river and it made me complete. Oh, simple thing, where have you gone? I'm getting old and I need something to rely on. So tell me when you're gonna let me in. I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin." Blaine skipped down the steps the piano in the middle of the courtyard and began playing it. "And if you have a minute why don't we go. Talk about it somewhere only we know? This could be the end. Of everything. So why don't we go? Somewhere only we know? Somewhere only we know?" Blaine walked towards me and pulled me off the steps and one by one, the Warblers came down and hugged me. "Ooh… oh-oh…" I began to cry. I felt so happy. I felt wonderful. "Ah… Oh. This could be the end of everything. So why don't we go somewhere only we know?" I turned around to Blaine. "Somewhere only we know. Somewhere only we know." I threw my arms around Blaine's neck and fell into his body. I buried my face in the crook of his neck and he wrapped his arms around me to return the hug.

"I don't want you to go." I whispered. "Never. I don't want to let go of you."

"You'll be fine. I'll pick you up after school today. Time to say goodbye, Abs."

"I'm never saying goodbye to you." I detached myself from Blaine and backed away from him that almost killed me. Blaine and the Warblers walked back up the steps as the glee clubbers crowded around me.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Hi."

"No crying, no crying."

"We love you."


	10. Chapter 10

"What the hell is this, Dude?" Finn demanded Sam as he stormed into the choir room with the school newspaper in hand. "What blonde former cheerleader is having a secret Moonlight Motel rendezvous with another big lipped blondie?"

"Where does it say that?" Sam asked, skimming the article.

"Right on the front page of the school newspaper."

"You don't seriously believe this, do you?" Quinn asked Finn. Apparently while I was away, Finn broke up with Rachel and got back with Quinn who cheated on him with Puck and had a baby. It's really confusing.

"Well, why shouldn't I? Why wouldn't he do the same thin I did to him?"

"Because it's gossip, Finn."

"This is your fault!" Santana yelled at Britney, coming into the choir room with a school newspaper. "You told everyone that I played for another team on your ridiculous melted cheese show."

"Wait, are you mad?" Britney asked. "_You do _play for another team. You were on the Cheerios and now you're only in the New Directions."

"And you couldn't have thought of another way to say that?"

"I swear I'm going to punch your face off!" Finn growled at Sam, shoving him.

"Got any popcorn?" I whispered to Gary. "This is getting entertaining."

"Hey, you got a lot of nerve accusing me of cheating when you're the one who snuck in and stole me girl!" Sam yelled, shoving Finn back. Quinn stepped in to hold them back and before her arms could give way to the weight of the bodies, Will came in and separated them.

"Hey!" Will shouted and Finn pushed past him and began to exit the room. "Hey, Finn, where you going? Hey, we got rehearsal!"

"Not today!" Finn shouted back.

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"Rumours—a classic record by Fleetwood Mac." Will said the next day in class. "One of the greatest albums of all times. Written as a band was breaking apart… to keep it together. Now, this week, we are done with the backstabbing and the gossip, and we're channeling all that energy into working together. So, pick a song from the album, put your own spin to it. Simple as that."

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"Are you sure that's enough?" I asked Sam, leaving the motel room.

"It's more than enough." Sam laughed. "They love Chinese."

"There's also Mexican."

"Yes, thanks, Abigail."

"Oh, and if you want me to take them off your hands for a day, I can take them to the stables and let them ride the horses."

"Thank you." I wrapped my arms around Sam's neck and pulled him into a hug. I stepped back and smiled at him.

"Let me know if there's anything I can get you. Money is not a problem for me, so please don't be scared to ask for something."

"Thank you, Abby."

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

"Stop it." Kurt ordered, coming up to my locker as I buried my nose into my physics book.

"Stop what?" I asked emotionless.

"We are begging you." Gary said. "Sam is cute, but he's not worth losing Blaine over." I looked up and closed my book.

"Oh, how I missed your guy's insanity."

"He's wearing your favorite sapphire blue scarf, Abigail." Kurt said. "I remember that scarf. You wore it November of last year. You said it was you Beaver Moon scarf. I know how these things work. Sometimes Gary leaves his letterman jacket at my house, and I'd wear it the next day."

"Ok, you two need to bone up on your Fleetwood Macology. When they made Rumours, they weren't speaking to each other. Not even _Pass the nondairy creamer. _They only spoke about the music. And it was that focus that allowed them to make their masterpiece."

"You're deflecting." Gary said.

"No, I'm being a team player, and any minute spent on this vicious, hurtful and hateful gossip is a minute take away from preparing for Nationals." I slammed my locker door. "Besides, I love Blaine. With all my heart. I. LOVE. Him. I don't say that to many people. Hell, I don't even say it to my dad. So, don't accuse me of cheating on him." I turned and walked away from them.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

"I don't want to know why love keeps." Finn and Quinn belted out. "Right on walking on down the line. I don't want to stand 'tween you and love honey. I just want you to feel fine. I don't want to know the reasons why love keeps. Right on walking on down the line. I don't want to know the reasons why love keeps. Right on walking on down the line. I don't want to stand 'tween you and love honey. I just want you to feel fine. Finally, baby. The truth has been told. Now you're telling me I'm crazy. That's nothing that I didn't know. Trying to survive. Oh, you say you love me, but you don't know. You got me rockin and a reelin. Hey, you know what you do. Oh, oh, yeah. Uh-huh. I… I don't want to know."

"Okay, terrific job, guys." Will said. "Um, might want to try to smile a little bit more next time, though."

"Yeah, it was lovely." Rachel agreed. "But I prefer Quinn's performance of Lucky with Sam better. Since you and Sam have become a lot closer lately, maybe you guys should do duets more often."

"Where is Sam?" Artie asked. "Quinn and Abigail are both here today, so we know he's not doing the dirty."

"I know what you're doing." Quinn said to Rachel. "You want Finn and I to stop singing together so that you can sing with him again."

"Frankly, yes." Rachel said. "Finn and I have amazingly proven harmonies. And when it comes to Nationals, I think it makes more sense for him to be paired with me."

"Well, it's not happening. Not as long as Finn wants to be with me."

"Wait," Finn protested. "I thought you said this relationship was about trust."

"Oh, I trust you. I just don't trust her."

"Quinn," Will said. "I don't think you can mandate who pairs up for Nationals, alright? Vocal Adrenaline doesn't need any help from us."

"I love being her and I want to win, but my relationship comes first. I'm sorry, but Finn, if you want to be with me, no more songs with her."

"What?!" Finn questioned her.

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"All right, guys." Will greeted us the next day. "Who is up first today?"

"Mr. Schuester," Rachel said. "If it's all right with you, I'd like to do my own reinterpretation of my favorite Fleetwood Mac song."

"Great, Rachel. Which one?"

"Go your own way. It's the song about the painful breakup between Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Traditionally, it's sung by a man, but today, Rachel Berry's going to put her own feminine twist to it. Hit it." She got up and went to the front of the class as the music began to play. "Loving you isn't the right thing to do." Rachel caroled. "Hoe can I ever change things that I feel? If I could, maybe I'd give you my world. How can I when you won't take it from me? You can go your own way. Go your own way. You can call it another lonely day. Another lonely day. You can go your own way. Go your own way. Tell me why everything turned around. Packing up, shacking up's all you wanna do. If I could, baby, I'd give you my world. Open up. Everything's waiting for you. Oh. You can go your own way. Go your own way. You can call it another lonely day. Another lonely day. Oh oh-oh, oh-oh. You can go, you can go your own way."

"Don't you think it's maybe a little inappropriate that you chose to sing a love song to my guy?" Quinn asked.

"You're such a hypocrite! You Little Miss Perfect Prom Queen! You're a cheater who cheats in cheap motels with Sam."

"Nothing is going on between me and Sam."

"Enough, guys." Will said.

"You know, I blame Sam for all this." Santana said. "And Rachel, too. I blame her."

"What did _I _do?" Rachel asked.

"I'm sure you did something."

"See, I'm with Santana." Lauren said. "I mean, why doesn't Sam have anything to say about this?"

"Guilt." Mike said.

"Seriously, dude, what you're doing is not cool." Puck said. "They both have boyfriends."

"Shut up!" Sam yelled. "Look, I'm not messing around with Quinn or Abigail or anybody. They're just helping me."

"Oh, is _that _what we're calling it now?" Mercedes questioned him.

"Hold on." Will said. "How were they helping you out?"

"Abigail was bringing me some food, and Quinn was helping me babysit my little brother and sister." Sam said.

"Then why were you in that motel?" Finn asked.

"Because that's where I live now. My dad lost his job a few months ago, then we lost our house so now we live in that motel in one room." Sam stood up and faced the club with anger in his eyes. "Are you all happy? The truth's finally out." He stormed out of the room.

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"All right, clase." Will said the next day.

"Mr. Shue, is this true?" Mercedes asked, holding up the school newspaper.

"Yeah, the Muckraker says you're bailing on us to do April Rhodes' big show." Puck said.

"Guys… if there's anything we've learned from this week's assignment, is that you can't believe every rumor you hear." Will said.

"But isn't it your dream to sing on Broadway?" Tina asked.

"I have a lot of dreams. My top one… being taking you guys to Nationals."

"So you're going to stay?" Quinn said.

"Look, we're going to Nationals _together, _and we are going to win."

"Damn straight, Mr. Shoe." I said.


	11. Chapter 11

"I've been to Ann Taylor Loft, Filene's Basement, and like, six Forever 21's and I cannot find a dress that fits." Lauren as she came into the choir room with Santana and Britney. "I'm gonna be forced to make my own dress for prom."

"Don't you'll seem poor." Britney said.

"You're up for queen." Santana said. "You can't make your own prom dress. Prom is, like, our Oscars. Its seriously, like, the most important night of our lives."

"What about getting married?" Lauren asked.

"Oh, you can get married as many times as you want." Quinn said. "You only have one shot at junior prom."

"What are you guys talking about?" Mercedes asked, sitting down.

"Prom dresses." Lauren answered.

"Thank god I don't have to worry about that. I'm not going."

"Why not?" Kurt asked.

"'Cause nobody's asked me."

"All right, guys." Will said, coming in. "Prom."

"Please tell me we're not doing songs about prom."

"Nope. We _are _prom. Figgins has asked us to perform."

"Oh, god, no Mr. Shoe." I whined. "Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please anything but that. I'll make everyone sing at your mother's nursing home just don't make us sing at prom."

"My mother's dead." There was an awkward silence.

"Well, still, I'll make everyone sing at a nursing home."

"You're not getting me near a nursing home." Rachel said.

"You'll go if you want to see the sun shining the next day."

"Let's do _Run Joey Run."_

"Now, I know this isn't ideal with Nationals coming up but we really don't have a choice." Will said. "And we could really use the money. But I know that prom is a special rite of passage. I'm going to make sure that all of you guys get to enjoy the dance too. So, we're gonna stagger the performances so that each and every one of you has a lot of time to dance with your dates."

"Excuse me." Mercedes got up and left the room.

"Is she okay?"

"Mercedes doesn't have a date for prom." Quinn said.

"So? I don't have a date." Britney said. "I'm just going to dance, and then all your dates are gonna ignore you and come dance with me, so… your dates are really my dates."

"I'm gonna go talk to Mercedes." Kurt said.

"No. Let me." Rachel got up and left to go find Mercedes.

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I sat across from Blaine at Breadstix, staring out into space. I had originally not wanted to go to prom but somehow Gary and Kurt made me promise to ask Blaine. I think they drugged me and made me promise. I don't know. But a promise I make, a promise I keep.

"You seem awfully quiet tonight." Blaine said. I snapped back to earth and smiled at him as I looked into his eyes.

"Give me your hand." I ordered. He slipped his hand into my left and electricity shot from his palm to mine. The warmth of him almost dragged me back to space, "Blaine Anderson… will you go to prom with me?"

"Prom?"

"According to Kurt, it'll be the social event of the season. I don't know." I stared hard into his eyes, looking for an answer. "You don't want to go to prom with me?"

"No, no, of course, of course, I want to go with you." I pulled my hands back into my lap. "It's just…" He sighed. "Prom."

"What about prom, Blaine?"

"At my old school, there was a Sadie Hawkins Dance and… I didn't want to go, but somehow one of my friends made me promise to ask someone and go. So I asked a friend of mine, she was nice and all that, the only other single girl in the school and while we were waiting for her dad to pick us up… these three guys… um… beat the living crap out of me and… um… and they… uh… they raped her." I thought back to my promise with Kurt and Gary. Repeating history.

"I… I'm so sorry."

"This is just a little bit of a sore spot."

"This is perfect. You couldn't face up to the bullies at your school, so you can do it at mine. We could do it together. But I have to say, Blaine, that if it makes you uncomfortable at all, then we'll just forget about prom. We'll go to a movie instead."

"I am crazy about you."

"So, I'll take that as a yes?"

"Yes. Yes, you and I are going to prom." I smiled but repeating history kept rolling around in my head.

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"So, you think it's cool if I jam with you guys at prom?" Blaine asked Finn.

"Yeah, totally." Finn answered, memorized by the football game.

"Good news, boys." My dad said. "My buddy Enzo from the tux rental shop is giving you half off."

"Sweet."

"Yeah, so what are you going to go with?"

"I'm going simple—" Blaine said. "Black, thin lapel collar, very discreet."

"You know what I wore to my prom? I wore a powder blue tux with a ruffled shirt and a big velour bowtie. Look like Tony Orlando."

"Was that a designer?" Kurt yelled from my side.

"No."

"Try to be nice, Daddy." I called from my dressing room.

"I didn't even say anything." Dad shouted back.

"Please, Father, I can practically feel your hostility towards Blaine all the way from here."

"It's ok, Abs." Blaine said.

"Abs? So, nicknames now?" Dad asked.

"Daddy!"

"You have an amazing flat screen." Finn said, obviously trying to change the subject.

"Biggest in the country." Dad said.

"Turn." Kurt ordered me. I turned and glares of dots danced around on the wall. "What do you think, Gar?"

"It's too plain. I mean, the color's you, the tightness, the length, the one shoulder, it's all you but… it's too plain." Gary said.

"Come on, let's go put on a show." I groaned and walked out of my dressing room to the family room. "Gentlemen, your new Abigail Ear." I looked to the right at the full length mirror.

"Oh, god, this is too much." I moaned, looking at the sliver glitter and the plain black stripes.

"No, this is too little."

"Girl, that rocks." Finn said. "It's like Miranda Fox from Transformer."

"I don't like it." Dad said.

"Well, of course you don't like it." Kurt said. "It's finished yet. At least I don't think it is."

"Look, Abby, I'm not going to stop you from wearing it, but I got to be honest—I… I think you're just trying to hide from everyone."

"Exactly." I said. "So, Kurt, your job is done, thank you for your help. I mean, Blaine, help me out here."

"I think your dad has a point." Blaine said from the couch. I snapped my head towards him and pierced him with my two blue ice daggers. "I- I think what he's trying to say is that we just don't want to give anyone a reason to start trouble."

"There's a lot of bad people out there, Abby, and they're a lot worse than this Abra kid, and all they're looking for is a match to light under the fire of their hate. You have to bring yourself out and try to fit in. Now, of course I, I want, I want you to be yourself, but I also—I want you to be practical."

"Kurt has done everything right." I said slowly. "Now, Blaine, I understand that after what you've been through, you're worried, but prom is about joy, not fear. And if keeping hidden makes me happy, then I'm going to keep hidden. So I am wearing this dress. Kurt and Gary has worked hard on it and I think it's fantastic, and if you don't want to join me, I completely understand." I retreated back to my room, my head held high.

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Blaine and I walked into the school gym, music blaring and loud chattering. Sam, Puck and Artie just finished Friday by Rebecca Black and Rachel was up and she started to sing Jars of Hearts. I looked up at Blaine.

"I don't know if I told you this but you look handsome tonight." I said.

"And you look beautiful." He returned the compliment.

"Though you wanted more." He leaned down and kissed the top of my head. "Isn't it great that the prom is so inclusive this year?"

"Someone for everyone."

"Even if it's a lie." Rachel's song ended and I knew it was my turn. My stomach did flips.

"Abigail Ear." Rachel announced in the microphone. I turned to Blaine.

"Listen closely 'cause I mean every word of it." I walked off behind the stage and looking into one of the mirror. A side bang was hanging down from the left side of my face my ponytail was hanging there from one tiny rubber band. I open the drawer to the mirror and pulled out the forgotten black with red border ribbon. I stared at it and remembered the words that Blaine once said to me. _We are going to kill this thing. _I looked up back into the mirror and tied the Warbler ribbon around my ponytail. "I am going to kill this thing." I walked out onto to stage and grabbed the microphone. "I would like to dedicate this song to my boyfriend, Blaine Anderson." I held up my hand and flicked out my five fingers to signal the band to start. "Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do. Let me introduce myself, I'm all smiles. You may know as a former most love only last a while. Pessimistic, so realistic. You get the picture I met you now my world is so much bigger. When you touch me it's like the very first time I'm so lucky to say that you're mine I still get those stupid butterflies but it's just what you do. I love everything you do. Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do. Crazy how it happened so fast truly blows my mind. Going on a hunt for four leaf clovers to wake up to that smile each sunrise. Whenever I'm not by your side, I get homesick a little pathetic with a dash of ooey gooey so romantic. Upside down off the ground god I love you upside down off the ground is what you do. When you touch me it's like the very first time I'm so lucky to say that you're mine I still get those stupid butterflies but it's just what you do I'm loving everything you do. Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do. I'm loving everything you do. Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do. Yes sir you came and you took my breath my head is feeling a little light all right I hope that you feel it too. Yes sir you came and you took my breath my head is feeling a little light alright I hope that you feel it too. Oh everything you do. I still get those stupid butterflies but it's just what you do. When you touch me it's like the very first time and I'm so lucky to say that you're mine. I still get those stupid butterflies but it's just what you do. I'm loving everything you do. Everything you do everything you do whoa oh whoa oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. I'm loving every single thing you do I'm so in love with everything you do. Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do." I bowed as the crowded applauded and stepped back to let Figgins have the microphone. I ran off stage to Blaine and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Did you mean that?" Blaine asked me.

"Every word of it."

"Attention, students, attention." Figgins said. "Will the candidates for king and queen gather on the stage. The votes are in. This is the moment you've all been waiting for, where we announce our junior prom king and also prom queen. Roll the drum, please. And this year's junior prom king is Black Abra."

"You've got to be shitting me," I breathed, my voice hitching in my throat.

"And now your 2011 McKinley High prom queen… with a overwhelming number of write in votes is… Abigail Ear." Fear seized my body and I felt like I was going to drop to the ground. I felt every pair of eyes burning into my skin, searing me. It was dead silence. Not a sound. The spotlight shined on me, making my dress attack the floor with glares of light. I turned and pushed my way out of the crowd to the exit.

"Abigail?" Blaine ran after me. "Stop! Abigail!" I pushed on the door and stormed away, my fear propelling. I couldn't do this. No way. I just couldn't. Tears sliced and diced my cheeks as I threw off my heels and ran through the hallways. I didn't know where I wanted to go or where I _needed _to go. I had to get out though. Away from this stupid, idiotic world.

"I've never been so humiliated!" I sobbed.

"Abigail. Stop. Stop, Abigail! Please just stop, come on." I stopped dead in my tracks, His voice pulling me back to one safe place in this world. Him. I turned to him, tears still pouring out.

"Don't you get how stupid I was? I thought that because no one was teasing me or beating me up was because, that- that no one cared. Like… like some progress had been made. But it's still the same."

"It's just a stupid joke."

"No, it's not. All that hate—they were just afraid to say it out loud. So they did it by a secret ballot. I'm one big anonymous practical joke. I'm not going back in there. No way." Blaine sat down on the ground and pressed his back up against the lockers. I began to pace the floor, hoping to wear my feelings into the ground.

"Would you at least sit down?" I ignored him and continued to pace and continued to wear my feelings out. "Do you want to go? We don't have to go back in there." I turned back to him.

"Wasn't this prom suppose to be about redemption? About taking away that lump you had in your throat for running away? If we leave, all it's gonna do is give me a lump, too."

"So what do you want to do?" I stood there and walked out into space thinking for a moment before coming back to earth.

"I'm going to go back in there and get coronated. I'm going to show them that it doesn't matter if they are yelling at me or whispering behind my back, they can't touch me." I knelt down beside Blaine and took his warm hand in mine. "That they can't touch _us_. Or what we have." He stood up and pulled me up with him.

"Are you ready for this?" I kept close to Blaine as we made our way back to the gym. He opened the door for me and I slowly walked in, every eye turning back to me. The spotlight covered me and my dress shined. I walked on stage to Figgins.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Figgins said into the mic. "Your 2011 prom queen, Abigail Ear." He picked up the crown and set it gently on my head and handed me my wand. I reluctantly took it. Everybody applauded and cheered until Figgins cleared his throat. "And now, behold the tradition of our 2011 prom king and queen sharing their first dance." Few people clapped as the crowd split off and Abra and I walked down the stage to the middle of the floor. We turned to face each other and stood there for a moment.

"I can't." Abra said and he walked out of the gym. My eyes followed him, leaving once again in everyone's attention.

"Excuse me." Blaine's voice sounded behind me and I whipped around. Santana and Mercedes began to sing Dancing Queen. "May I have this dance?" I smiled at him and stepped into his arms.

"Yes, yes you may." I said. He took my right in his left and wrapped his right arm around my waist. One by one people joined us on the dance floor and moved to the beat. Joy overwhelmed me and I felt happy again. Maybe it wasn't repeating history. Me and Blaine just created our own history.


	12. Chapter 12

"New Directions!" Will announced. "I would like to introduce you to our new show choir consultant—Jessie St. James." Rachel was the only one who clapped.

"I don't trust this guy." Finn said. "How do we know he's not just going to trick us into something stupid, so his alma mater wins?"

"I don't think I need to do much tricking to get you to do something stupid, Finn." Jessie said.

"Guys, Jessie is just a consultant. I still make all the calls." Will said. "Now, I have all the confidence in the world in you guys. I just think we can use all the help we can get. Because..." He pointed to the white board that read _Nationals. _"This is it. We've been working so hard for two years for this moment and this moment is finally here. Now, I was talking with Jessie, and he agreed that we should continue with our successful trend of doing original songs for the competition. I was thinking of doing one group number and one duet."

"Rachel and I should sing a duet." Finn suggested. "We killed it last year at Regionals with _Faithfully."_

"Yeah, killed us—we lost." Quinn reminded him.

"May I?" Jessie asked Will.

"Uh, yeah." Will agreed.

"I agree that Rachel should sing lead, but Finn, I think it's best if you sit this one out. Fact is, most of the other guys in here are better singers, and Mike Chang, who can't even sing, can at least dance. You kind of sing and dance like a zombie who has to poop."

"Mr. Shoe?" I raised my hand."

"Yes, Abigail."

"Do I have permission?"

"Permission for what?"

"To give this kid a black eye."

"That would be a no."

"You-you see?" Finn exclaimed. "You see what I'm talking about? This guy's a jerk!"

"Jessie, maybe you could, uh, be a little bit gentler with your advice."

"Gentle?" Jessie questioned him.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize that we were training for the _good try _ribbon at Nationals. I thought we were in it to win the whole damn thing. And there's only one way we can do that."

"Poison darts?" Britney asked.

"The Vocal Adrenaline strategy is simple—identify your best performer and build the entire performance around them."

"So what does everyone else do?" Mercedes asked.

"And who's our star performer?" Puck asked. Jessie looked at Will and he sighed.

"We're going to have auditions to find out." Will said. "I'm going to post up a sign up sheet later this afternoon."

"Mr. Shoe," Finn called out. "Don't you think this is kind of not our style?"

"Normally, I would agree with you, Finn, but this is the big time." Sam said. "I think we should listen to Jessie.

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGG

"We need to help her." Finn told us. "She's overwhelmed and… she needs us to help her."

"Seriously?" Santana asked. "I would like to put the fun back in funeral just as much as the next girl, but why would the glee club help Coach Sylvester plan a service?"

"We're not doing it for Sue." Kurt said. "We're doing it for her sister."

"Jean was just like us, guys. I mean, she's been an outside, an underdog all of her life. We, of all people should celebrate that."

"Can I say something?" Jessie asked. "When someone dies, yes, it's a tragedy, but it's also a part of life. And you can't let death put your life on hold. Now, I don't mean to be blunt, but I don't think you should be planning a funeral the same week you should be focusing on the set list for Nationals."

"Seriously?" I asked, standing up and walking down to Kurt and Finn's side. "When I was four, I started riding horses. When I was eight, I had the biggest race of my life. It was barrel racing. I was just dragging my horse out into the pen when my father stopped me. He said he had gotten a call saying my mother was in a car crash. She was on her way from work to my race. She was in the hospital dying. I had two options. Do the biggest race of my life or go see my mom. So, you know what I did?"

"You went to see your mom?" Gary guessed.

"No, no I went on with the race. 'Cause I knew that was what my mother would have wanted. After the race, we went to the hospital. I went to my mother's side and I told, I said, Mom, I got first place. She smiled and died. If I didn't do the race, I could have been with her longer than a minute. But I did what she wanted. And I bet somewhere deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, down in Sue's dark abyss of a heart, she would want us to plan this service. So, Jessie, are you serious?"

"That was such a touching story, Abigail, yes, I am. Do you know what Vocal Adrenaline is doing right now? They're in their third week twenty four hour a day rehearsal. They're on an I.V. drip. That's hard they're working. Do you know what happens in Vocal Adrenaline if someone dies during a number? They use them as a prop, like _Weekend at Bernie's."_

"No." Finn said. "Thanks for your input, Jessie, but we're helping Sue with the service for her sister. Rachel, you said I needed to be more of a leader of this club—well, here goes. I'm making the call. We're doing this.

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"Broke my heart on the road." I sang. "Spent the weekend sewing the pieces back on. Friends and thoughts passed me by. Walking gets to boring when you learn how to fly. Not the homecoming kind. Take the top off and who knows what you might find. Won't confess all my sins. You can bet I'll try it but you can't always win. 'Cause I'm a gypsy are you coming with me? I might steal your clothes and wear them if they fit me. I never made agreements just like a gypsy. And I won't back down 'cause life's already bit me. I won't cry I'm too young to die if you're gonna quit me. 'Cause I'm a gypsy. 'Cause I'm a gypsy. I can't hide what I've done. Scare remind me just how far that I've come. To whom it may concern. Only run with scissors when you want to get hurt. Cause I'm a gypsy are you coming with me? I might steal your clothes and wear them if they fit me. I never made agreements just like a gypsy. And I won't back down 'cause life's already bit me. I won't cry I'm too young die if you're gonna quit me. Cause I'm a gypsy. I say, hey you you're no fool if you say no. Ain't it just the way life goes people fear what they don't know. Come on for the ride oh yeah come on for the ride oooh. Cause I'm a gypsy. Are you coming with me? I might steal you clothes and wear them if they fit me. I never made agreements just like a gypsy. And I won't back down because life's already bit me. I won't cry cause I'm too young to die if you're gonna quit me. Cause I'm a gypsy." I exhaled sharply and looked to Will and Jessie for comments.

"That was amazing." Will said.

"Have you been singing solos your entire life?" Jessie asked.

"No." I answered.

"Who got you into solos?"

"My boyfriend."

"Who is?" I cleared my throat.

"Blaine Anderson."

"The leader of Warblers from Dalton Academy?"

"Yes."

"Didn't you transfer there?"

"Yes."

"You abandoned your team?"

"My life was being threatened. The glee club understood."

"You transferred back?"

"Yes."

"But yet your boyfriend is still Blaine Anderson?"

"Yes."

"Hmm."

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?"

"It's just I knew the warblers and I knew Blaine Anderson. He was idiot, he was stuck up and he only cared about his voice and himself." I clenched my fists.

"That's the most insane, idiotic thing I ever heard. It's lies. Blaine is the smartest, he's loving, caring, he loves me and he taught me where to find my voice. He better man than you'll ever be, Jessie."

"He can't sing, Abigail."

"Blaine is the best male singer I have ever heard. He sings a trillion times better than you." I stormed off the stage.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

"Oh, Mr. Shoe, thank god you're here to put these trolls out of their misery." Santana said. "Can you just announce my win so I can just get on with teasing the losers?"

"I heard your performance, Santana." Kurt said. "This is mine and you know it."

"See, Jessie?" Will said. "This is the kind of infighting and me first attitudes that I wanted to avoid."

"What you call infighting, I call motivation." Jessie said. "And this is the beginning. Once we get to Nationals, I'll have them ready to kill each other for that solo."

"No. I've changed my mind. We're going back to what got us here—original songs sung by the entire club. We're a team, and we're best when we work as one."

"You're going to lose."

"Whatever we do, we're going to do it together."

"Actually, Santana, you sounded pretty good." I said.

"Thanks." Santana said. "You guys were all pretty dope, too. Even Rachel."

"I wish I could sound just like, Santana." Rachel said. "I mean, how do you get that raspiness?"

"So nice. I smoke cigars."

"All right, guys." Will said. "Time to get to work. Now, I want to hit songs by the time the wheels touch down at JFK. Come on."


	13. Chapter 13

"This is amazing." I said. Skyscraper scraping the sky, lights flashing words of inspiration. "Blaine would have loved this." We were finally in New York and I felt like a restless four year old. I sat on the steps next to Kurt and Gary and swallowed the best hot dog I ever had.

"A year and a half ago, the New Directions were nothing but a group of six misfits, stumbling through their way through a horrific rendition of _Sit down you're rocking the boat." _Kurt said. "Now here we are, at the top of the show choir heap: Nationals!"

"I want to hit up Central Park, get my frolic on." Tina said.

"I want to throw stuff off the Brooklyn Bridge." Puck said.

"Guys, hold on." Finn said. "We still have two songs to write."

"Ok, Mr. Bossy Pants." Gary joked. "But I think we have some time for a tune before we leave. Start spreading the news." We all reluctantly joined him.

"I'm leaving today." We sang. "I want to be a part of it. New York, New York…"

"Guys, I have news." Rachel said, walking up to us. "To celebrate our impending win at Nationals, I got us all fourteen tickets to Broadway's longest running show ever, Cats!" Britney whooped.

"You might want to check the dates on those tickets, Rachel," Quinn said. "Because _Cats _closed about eleven years ago."

"He did seem crazy. Charged my credit card by swiping it through his butt crack."

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

"Did you know I could ahi tartare and a steak sandwich at three in the morning from their all night dining menu?" I asked the group. Will was passing out rhyming dictionaries, wanting us to finish writing the last two songs for Nationals. "I feel like Eloise."

"I have pills for that." Britney said.

"All right, guys." Will said. "This is your time. Now, all of you are on lockdown till you finish writing our songs for Nationals. I want at least two solid verses by the time I get back."

"Aren't you going to help us?" Tina asked.

"Uh, um…I will be back and read your amazing creations and give notes, but right now, I have to head to the theatre to, uh, fill out some paperwork." And with that, Will had left the building.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Puck played am upbeat tone on his guitar while Britney began to sing.

"In the middle of the night I'm in bed alone." Britney belted out. "Don't care if you're glass, paper or Styrofoam. When I need some water, baby."

"Coffee or gin." Artie and Britney caroled. "I want to put them in. My cup, my cup, sayin' what's up. To my cup, my cup. More of a friend than my silly pup, my cup. You know what it is. Saying what's up. To my cup." Artie sighed. "I'm saying what's up to my cup." They sighed together. "I'm saying what's up to my cup." And they sighed again, finishing the song.

"Hold on." Tina said. "Are you singing about a cup?"

"Yeah, totally." Britney said.

"We got to get out of here." Quinn said, grabbing her jacket.

"Wait. No, no, no. Mr. Shoe gave us explicit instructions…" Rachel said.

"To write a song and our problem is, that our only inspirations are mattresses and bathroom cups."

"Quinn's right." Puck said, setting his guitar down. "We're in the artists capital of the world. Poets, musicians, actors, playwrights. Every dream that's ever lived passed through this city. And if we want out dreams to come true, we need to be out there with dream, not stuck in here."

"Guys, I don't think this is such a good idea." Finn said. "I mean, we still got those songs to write. If we don't write them, then we're going to lose."

"No." Lauren said. "They're right. Can't you hear the city calling for you?"

"We don't need to write songs for nationals." Quinn said. "New York's gonna write them for us."

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

"I don't like cities but I like New York." Finn chanted.

"The famous places to visit are so many." Santana chirped.

"Other places make me feel like a dork."

"I told my grandpa I wouldn't miss on any."

"Los Angles is for people who sleep." Artie choired.

"Got to see the whole town." Mercedes crooned. "Right from Yonkers on down the bay."

"Paris and London oh, baby, you can keep."

"Baby you can keep." Santana decanted.

"Baby you can keep." Mercedes harmonized.

"Other cites always make me mad." We all hummed together. "Other places always make me sad. No other city ever made me glad. Except New York, New York. It's a wonderful town. I love New York. I love New York. New York."

"If you don't like my attitude." Finn hymned. "Then you can get lost."

"Manhattan women are dressed up in silk and satin." The girls trilled.

"Just go to Texas, isn't that where they golf?" The boys vocalized.

"There's just one thing that's important in Manhattan."

"New York is not for little wussies." Artie warbled.

"Who scream." Mercedes belted out. "Pick up a date maybe seven or eight."

"Paris and London, baby, you can keep."

"Baby, you can keep." The girl caroled.

"Baby, you can keep." The boys echoed.

"Other cities always make me mad." We all chanted together.

"Make me mad." Mercedes chirped.

"Other places always make me sad."

"Make me sad."

"No other city ever made me glad."

"Made me glad."

"Except New York, New York. It's a wonderful town. I love New York. I love New York. New York."

"We sailed the seas and we've been the world over." The girls choired. "Made the Mandalay. We've seen the sphinx and we've seen the Cliffs of Dover. And we can safely say."

"New York." Rachel crooned.

"Other cities always made me mad." We descanted.

"Oh, oh-oh, oh."

"Other places always made me sad."

"New York."

"No other city ever made me glad. Except New York, New York. It's a wonderful town. I love New York. I love New York."

"New York, yeah." Mercedes harmonized.

"New York, New York."

"New York, yeah."

"New York, New York."

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

"All right, guys." Will said, coming into the room with like ten boxes of pizza in his hands. "Who's up for some real New York City…pizza?"

"We heard." Quinn said.

"Heard what?"

"About you leaving to be on Broadway." Mercedes clarified. Will sighed and set the pizzas down.

"Look, I haven't made up my mind about anything."

"We get it." I said. "And we're happy for you."

"You've inspired us in so many ways," Rachel said. "So…this is just another."

"I don't understand." Will said. "Who told you?"

"Thunder." Tina answered.

"You okay, Mr. Shoe?" Mike asked.

"I'm not going." Will said. "I'm staying with you guys. I had my moment out on that stage and it was glorious. But you and I…have some unfinished business to take care of. Now get out your notebooks. Time to get to work. Come on, this is nationals, people."

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"And now, from William McKinley High in Lima, Ohio, the New Directions!" The announcer announced. I touched my Warbler ribbon in my hair, to make sure it was there. I took a deep breath and tightened the ribbon, ready to kick everyone's asses. Finn and Rachel walked in front of the curtains and began to sing.

"Face to face." Rachel and Finn hummed. "And heart to heart. We're so close. Yet so far apart. I close my eyes. I look away. That's just because. I'm not okay."

"But I hold on." Rachel hymned.

"I stay strong. Wondering if. We still belong…Will we ever. Say the words. We're feeling. Reach down underneath and…Will we ever. Have a happy ending. Or will we forever. Only be pretending. Keeping secrets safe. Every move we make. Seem like no one's. Letting go. And it's. Such a shame cause if you. Feel the same. How am I. Supposed. To know…"

"Will we ever." We trilled as the curtains parted. "Say the words we feeling. Reach down underneath and. Tear down all the walls. Will we ever. Have a happy ending. Or will we forever. Only be pretending."

"Oh, oh, oh." Finn vocalized.

"Pretending." We warbled with Rachel.

"Pretending."

"Oh, oh, oh, oh." We belted out.

"Pretending." Finn and Rachel caroled. An upbeat intro started and Santana started the song off.

"Hey, hey, hey." Santana chanted. "You and me keep on dancing. In the dark. It's been tearing me apart. Never knowing what we are."

"Hey, hey, hey, you." The girls chirped.

"And me keep on trying to play it cool. Now it's time to make a move. And that's what I'm gonna do."

"Lay it all down." Artie choired.

"Got something to say." Britney crooned.

"Lay it all down."

"Throw your doubt away."

"Do or die now."

"Step onto the plate."

"Blow the door wide open."

"Like up, up and away." Britney and Artie descanted.

"Let's light up the world toni-i-ght." We all harmonized. "You got to give up the bark. And bi-i-te. I know that we got the love all ri-i-ight. Come on and li-li-light it up. Light it up tonight."

"Hey, hey, hey, you." Finn hummed. "And me, turn it up ten thousand watts. Tell me why we got to stop. I just want to let it rock."

"Hey, hey, hey, you."

"And me keep on staring at the road." Artie and Tina hymned. "We don't know where we go, step back, let me take control."

"Lay it all down." Artie trilled.

"Got something to say." Britney vocalized.

"Lay it all down."

"Throw your doubt away."

"Do or die now."

"Step onto the plate."

"Blow the door wide open like."

"Up, up and away."

"Let's light up the world toni-i-ight." We all warbled. "You got to give up the bark and the bi-i-ite. I know that we got the love all ri-i-ight. Come on and li-li-light it up. Light it up tonight. Let's light up the world toni-i-ight. You got to give up the bark and the bi-i-ite. I know that we got the love all ri-i-ight. Come on and li-li-light it up. Light it up tonight." The crowd cheered and applauded and whistled at us.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Everyone in the lobby started to yell and shout with excitement and started to crowd around something.

"What's happening?" Rachel asked.

"They just posted the top ten for showcase." Kurt said. "Everybody, gather around! It's a moment two years in the making."

"Okay, what should we do?"

"Let's go look at it…together." Will said. "Come on, come on." We pushed through the crowd and I covered my eyes, too scared to look at the sign.

"Oh, I'm too nervous to look."

"I'll go."

"What did we place?" Finn asked. It was silent. "Well, Mr. Shoe? Say it. What did we rank?"

"We didn't." I opened my eyes and scanned the sign to make sure he wasn't lying. And he wasn't. I didn't feel sad at all. "I'm so sorry, you guys." I knew we tried our best.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

I sat across from Blaine and sipped my hot chocolate as I began to tell him about Nationals.

"Oh, my god, you should have seen it." I said. "We all looked at the top ten list for showcase, and we all just went numb. And then Jessie kept going on and on about how Rachel and Finn's kiss is what cost us Nationals."

"While I understand passion, I do think that was unprofessional but sorry. Keep going." Blaine said.

"Ok, then we get back to the hotel and Santana loses it. She started cussing Rachel out in Spanish. Quinn, Sam and Mike had to hold her back so she didn't go striping Rachel's skin off. I mean, the plane ride home was completely silent. Like, no one said a word. We all just sat there with our faces buried in our complimentary copies of _SkyMall." _

"Wait, I don't get it. You don't seem sad at all."

"Well, it was still amazing. I mean, I flew on a plane for the first time in my life, I had breakfast at Tiffany's, I sang on a Broadway stage." I took another sip of my hot chocolate.

"I love you." I had to fight to keep my hot chocolate down. Butterflies exploded in my stomach. My brain felt like it was on a merry go round. What did he just say? Did he just say he loved me? Love is such a strong word. I swallowed the rest of my hot chocolate.

"I love you, too." I cleared my throat. "You know, when you stop and think about it, Abigail Ear's had a pretty good year." I looked over Blaine's shoulder to see Sam and Mercedes walking towards us. "Oh, look who's here."

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?"

"Uh, nothing." Sam said. "Just, uh, getting a coffee."

"We ran into each other in the parking lot." Mercedes said.

"We're on our way to get some sheet music." Blaine said. "Tomorrow's my audition for the summer show at Six Flags."

"Whereas I'm spending my summer training horses." I said.

"It sounds totally awesome." Sam said.

"We'll see you in class." Mercedes said. "Bye."

"Bye guys." Blaine said and he turned back to me. "Ok, so here are the nominees for my songs tomorrow."


End file.
